Beyond the darkness
by Saoirse.Ash
Summary: He told her not to go, She had no choice. Now Sarah has to pay for her choice, for there is no action without consequences. Evil Jareth that turns even more evil with time. Turned up to M for the later chapters. Reviewers are awarded with cookies and biscuits.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Funny.

If you look at it from this way, you can see complex patterns. If you look differently, you will see nothing but twigs and branches. But, did anyone ever stop to look at the small twigs sticking out of them, how they curved in all directions, how they stretched everywhere. Why doesn't anyone see?

Sarah sighed. She lay on the warm ground sprawled around, gazing up above her on the above trees. How beautiful. How mysterious. Yet no one sees them, even when in plainest sight.

Just like people, Sarah thought bitterly. We do not see the most obvious things in others, _assuming_ things based on _our_ observation. And what sort of observation is it? Who dresses nicely, who doesn't. If you have your own style, than you are a freak. Is that the observation? Are people so primitive as to not see people for what they _are_, rather than what you look like.

Sarah sighed again. Her thoughts directed towards her good friend, Tom Wellberry. Tom, though not the handsomest of the men wasn't ugly. What he was however, was damn clever. He was one of the most perceptive people Sarah had ever met, always knowing when person faked apologies, or when teachers lied about _almost_ finishing checking the homework, brought in three months earlier. He also had high sense of empathy, making him sensitive towards others. And for that, he was detested.

World is a cruel place. All this bullshit about second chances, the happily ever after's, all that was bullshit. Sarah rolled the word around her tongue. Bull-shit. She liked that word, it gave the definition of her world _perfectly_. There were no second chances in the real world, and only few people had the luck to reach their happy ends. And what was happy ending? Settling down with a handsome man and having loads of children? That didn't sound very promising to Sarah, certainly not a happy ending.

Perhaps adventures and becoming the world's famous actress? Now, that was a goal. That was a beautiful thought. Also impossible.

_With every action there are consequences_

There, Sarah's motto. Everyone heard it before. But, how many _understood _it? Five people? Acting would be Sarah's dreams _– dreams-_ coming true, all that she wanted. Dedicated to her arts Sarah had dance and singing lessons, and her heart was set on reaching her dreams. And one thing she was sure of, Sarah Williams never failed.

… _never failed…_

A whisper sounded in the distance. No, it was just a wind. Or was it? Sarah shook her head clearing her thoughts. Closing her eyes she rested completely against the ground, grass leaves tickled her face, sweet scents of flowers made their way up and up...

But what would happen if she indeed became famous? Would she have fleeting romances like her mother? Tears and lust accompanying her with every breath? Would she start drugs, something she repulsed with her whole heart at the moment? How people change, Sarah mused, years ago I would not have even thought of _possibility_ of doing drugs, and now? Now I am thinking of it as a natural thing, something people do, without any emotions…

Once willing, the other time not. Once in love, other times hate. Why do we change so much? Is that what makes us human? The change?

"Sarah!" A voice slashed through the soft air, destroying _everything_. A high-pitched, aggressive voice, annoying voice, like sand against soft skin. Taking a breath, Sarah opened her eyes, her grey eyes, light penetrating through the branches and twigs attacking them without scruples.

"SARAH!" Again that _voice_.

" I am coming!" Sarah screamed back, her temper failing her. Oh yes, Sarah Williams, assumed to be perfect in every way, had her faults, hidden well behind those weird, curious eyes. Temper.

" Sarah!" The voice continued, as if ignoring Sarah's call. Groggily, Sarah sat up, pushing herself up from the ground.

_Newton's third law of motion, if body A exerts force on body B, Body B exerts the same force on body A…_

The girl rushed between the thin dying trees, running towards the voice. The annoying voice. Wind rustled suddenly, hitting Sarah. The girl however ignored it, not really taking any consideration, her body adjusting to the cooler temperature.

" There you are. I've been calling for you for so long!" Sarah stopped upon reaching the tall blonde woman, with small blue eyes. The woman wore an elegant pink shirt made from a soft material, _velvet? Silk?_ Who _cares?_ And a tight creamy skirt up to her knees. Black heels clicked impatiently above the concrete pavement.

Suddenly Sarah found herself back at her park, with Karen Williams, the wife of Robert Williams, mother to Tobias Williams and Stepmother to her, Sarah Williams, standing proud and impatient.

" Yes, I am sorry. I called to you…"

" We asked you to take care of Toby this _one _evening and here you are, laying on that dirty ground, _thinking_. A girl in your age is supposed to go out, have fun with friends, _socialize._ Do you even have friends?" Sarah was hurt by the last question. Of course she had, but they wouldn't be considered… Normal, As they weren't really of her world, nor did they answer her calls for the last seven months. And what about Tom?

" Sarah you are _seventeen_ years old! When I was your age, I already had a third boyfriend!"

" Congratulations, really you shoud get a medal for being the biggest _slut_ in the school. But, Forgive me, If I prefer solitude to a band of uneducated, primitive bunch of jumping monkeys! I agreed to look over Toby, you know I always do, I love him. _Do _not stick your nose into my life" With that Sarah marched angry towards home, quickly evolving into sprint, leaving furious step mother behind, only the rushed clicks and clack's of her heels along with some screaming reached Sarah.

Well, you've done it again. You made Karen angry. Well done Sarah, this time you're _really_…

The girl reached her home in no time, her father awaiting on the porch. Sarah slowed down, until she stopped completely, standing right in front of the famous lawyer Robert Williams.

" Oh Sarah. What will we do with you?" Sadness and disappointment was written clearly on his face. Sarah kept solid face, as her curious eyes were plastered on her father's face. The girl knew better than to speak now, her temper once more under control.

" Go in and get Toby a bath. I will try and take Karen out without you two meeting again" Sarah nodded and walked up the three stairs onto the porch and into the house though the open front doors. She walked over to her brother's room where she could hear him laughing. She entered his room quietly, his back to her. One small step, second….

" AAAAAAA" Sarah screamed and swallowed Toby into a tight embrace. The boy jumped up, incredulously high, and laughed as the initial shock died down and turned to hug her too.

" Sarah! Play" he commanded, pointed down on his new puzzle. Sarah smiled and shook her head slightly.

" We need to take a bath your majesty, then we will play" Toby frowned, a large pout on his face.

" Water. Don't like water" He said in his slightly slurred babyish tongue. Sarah smiled at that.

" Neither do I. but its something we all must do" the frown on Toby's forehead increased.

"Why?" He demanded. Sarah sighed.

" Society expects us to do so, otherwise we wouldn't be liked," She said after a quick thought.

" Society?" Toby tried to say. Sarah laughed.

" Yes. Now come on, we have to get you a bath" Sarah mock sniffed him "Whew, and I know why!" Laughing she took her two year old brother to the white bathroom opposite to his new bedroom.

" But they don't like us now either" His voice was quiet, yet clear. Sarah turned toward the door.

" We have to try Tobes"

When she closed the doors, Karen's high-pitched voice could be heard.

" She's back isn't she?"

" Karen, calm down, we're late!"

" That little brat…" The words were muffled by the rush of water, which Sarah turned on. Toby looked at her with his innocent blue eyes, and Sarah gave him reassuring smile.

" Sarah no brat" Toby decided fiercely, and Sarah truly smiled at that. Her brother just had this aura of innocent _honesty,_ which she found quite disarming.

" Thank you Tobes. Come on, get undressed" Sarah commanded lightly and the little boy did as told, at the same time hearing a loud thump of the front doors and she took a long breath.

" Sarah?" Toby asked after scrambling into the bath.

" Yes Tobes?"

" Do you have to go to that camp?" Sarah sighed. She knew Toby would ask this question, he seemed to possess the skill of asking the most troubling questions these days.

" Yes Tobes I have to. But its going to be fun and I will come back in two weeks" Toby sank lower in his warm bath, his eyes filled with strange worry.

" You shouldn't go"

" I know. But I have to"

* * *

Keeping Toby occupied so that he didn't think of Sarah's departure in three days was harder than it sounded. The boy looked as if he would burst in a fit any second, his mood swings once again revealing their ugly faces. Sarah looked down at her sleeping brother with thought. When Toby was two years old, thirteen weeks after the Labyrinth, he was diagnosed with Autism. Already the first symptoms were showing, Though Toby seemed to grow naturally, just like other children after _that_ night something changed. He began degrading, regressing. It was harder for him to concentrate on anything, he would have troubles in communicating. Sarah stroked the back of his head delicately, watching him smile slightly.

Whenever she was with him, Toby would somehow come back to his normal state. He would behave like a normal child, and to this day doctors had no idea how this was possible.

But the fear Toby expressed on the thought of her departure was frightening, to put it bluntly. Sarah looked around the small bedroom. All the toys were placed in a strict straight line. It was what the autistic children did, The doctors said, they arranged the toys in a straight lines. This is called Compulsive behavior. They are doing things that don't really end up rewarding or pleasure them. They just do it" Sarah walked softly out of the room, switching the lights of and closing slightly the doors. Walking over to her own bedroom, her eyes laid on her packed suitcase. The horse camp. That's what they called it. But everyone knew exactly what this camp was about. Two weeks in wilderness with five other people, and an instructor whose job was to brainwash them.

It was all her stepmother's idea. Send her to the camp it will be good for her. She will get rid of those nasty social problems of hers. The problem was that Sarah didn't have any friends in aboveground, because she found them boring. _Normal_. Living in her own Fantasy world, Sarah didn't look much on other people. She was scared, because whenever she _did_ look at them, she felt sadness. Those people are so… Primitive. Boring. _Normal. _Predictable, their thoughts centered around topics such as gossip, men and pairs at school. Occasional drooling over how bad their life is. Where did they get their basis for comparison? In TV? It seemed everyone was centered way too much on the metal box.

Sarah walked up to her wardrobe taking out her horse riding trousers and folding them neatly in the little brown suitcase. Something felt wrong, something wasn't right. The whole camp thing, Especially that on one of the nights there would be Beltane. And it was a powerful night, a dangerous night.

Placing the suitcase on the floor Sarah dropped heavily on her small white bed, flat on her stomach. What wouldn't she do, to just run away and be free? Go to some acting school, become world's famous actress, walk with the other stars have your name written in the newspapers… Dreams.

… _Do you want it?_

Sarah shuddered, as the room turned chilly. Quickly changing into her nightdress, Sarah went through her daily night routine, coming back to bedroom clean and ready for sleep. She would need it.

Lying in the bed, Sarah stared at the ceiling, looking at slight cracks.

… _Tectonic earthquakes occur where there is an Elastic strain energy stored, along with fault plane. The sides of a fault move past each other smoothly and aseismically only if there are no irregularities or asperities along the fault surface that increase the frictional resistance. Once the fault has locked, continued relative motion between the plates leads to increasing stress and therefore, stored strain energy in the volume around the fault surface… It continues until the stress has risen sufficiently to break through the asperity, suddenly allowing sliding over the locked portion of the fault, releasing the stored energy. This energy is released as a combination of radiated elastic strain seismic waves, frictional heating of the fault surface, and cracking of the rock, causing an earthquake..._

Earthquakes. Curious things. All they need is energy and place. One thing makes something else, which makes something else. Sarah closed her eyes.

… _Continues until the stress has risen sufficiently to break through…._

…_Continues…._

_..conti…._

… _Beware the Beltane night…._

Sarah fell asleep.

* * *

One day left. Fear. It surrounded her, sudden fear, that didn't want to let her go, sticking to her body like water.

_Don't go…_

She had no choice. Everything was prepared, everything paid for, everything packed and ready. She wasn't a brat, she would embrace her fear. She wasn't a brat. She wasn't…

The Williams family sat at the dining table, eating breakfast. Robert Williams hid away behind the big newspaper, Toby ate slowly, his eyes fixated on the apple mush, Sarah's thoughts took her away from the room. Only Karen broke the silence, chatting to no one in particular about…. About what? Sarah frowned. Shopping… Sale… discounts… Shaking her head slightly, Sarah resumed her thoughts.

" Are you ready and packed Sarah?" The high-pitched voice sounded again. Sarah sighed internally. The voice was very irritating.

" Yes Karen" She answered dully.

" Remember, you have to behave. The camp will do plenty of good for you…" Yes, plenty of good. They are going to brainwash me, and send back as an empty shell, Sarah thought bitterly. Why did people want to change her? Didn't she have the rights as a human being to be what she wanted to be? Why couldn't she stick out a bit, instead of being like Karen.

" Dad can I take Toby to the park?" Her voice was clear, seemingly untroubled. Robert Williams looked up from above the newspaper and nodded slightly. He understood her daughter, and didn't want her to go. He didn't want her to change. But Karen had her ways and he was cornered.

" Yes of course" Sarah looked at Toby, whose glassy eyes stared with monotony on the white bowl in front of him. Sarah exhaled. Poor Toby. And it was _her_ fault! He was fine before she… she wished him away.

But I got him now, Sarah thought determined, And I will never harm him again.

This she vowed as she stood up from her seat and took her bowl to the sink, rinsing it through with water and putting into the dishwasher.

" Come on Tobes" She said and helped him out of his chair, leading him to the main hall were she dressed him into light coat and a hat. It was unnaturally cold today.

Walking away from the house has been easy. The wind played around them, cold wind, twirling the dust on the ground high into the air. Sarah walked with Toby, holding his hand. No soul on the streets, not one car rushing through.

… _It's further than you think_…

Sarah shook her head. The voice, it's the wind. Just wind. Since when does wind _speak_?

They reached the park. It was quiet, too quiet. No children playing by the lake, no lovers sitting on the bench. Only her and Toby.

Too empty.

They walked on the small pavement, arm in arm, sister with her brother, clouds covering the sky thickly, trees waving from the wind.

Too empty. Too quiet.

Toby stopped. He was aware, suddenly. No more an autistic boy.

" Don't go" He begged his sister " The camp is bad" Sarah turned her grey eyes towards him.

" I know," She whispered to him, only to him.

" Something bad is going to happen" Toby continued, no more a three year old. His eyes were old, troubled, _terrified_, face white.

" I know" Sarah repeated.

… _continues until stress…_

" Dark" Toby whispered, sitting down on the bench. Sarah followed.

" Beltane is coming" she said.

" Stay home, be safe" Toby tried once more, a tear forming in his eye.

" I'll come back safe. I promise"

" No you won't. Darkness is here already"

… _Has risen to break through…._

… _Break through…._

" Promise me something Toby" Sarah began, her eyes on the cold waters of the lake.

…_Break…_

" Do not talk with anyone about this. Do not tell of the Labyrinth" Toby turned to her.

" I promise… I am going to miss you," He said in a teary voice.

" Me too. I will miss you too"

Silence fell in place. Toby and Sarah sat there, just sat, not doing anything in particular.

" Don't give in" Toby whispered, before falling back to his world. He became a three year old once more. He became an autistic boy. Nothing has changed.

* * *

Toby was a strange boy. Everyone knew that. But it went beyond his autism, it went beyond his age. He _knew_ things, he had _seen_ things, deep in his sleep. He saw Sarah go. He never saw her coming back.

…_I promise…_

The boy lay down on the small bed, his bed, thinking. Sarah couldn't go. The place was bad. The people were bad. But what could he do? He was a three year old, autistic boy.

He cried in the silence of the room

* * *

Sarah was ready.

Two weeks.

And she would be back.

Toby was just scared because this was the first time she was leaving somewhere alone.

Without anybody.

She would be back.

She was packed and ready, already said goodbye to her family.

Already at the airport.

She was standing in the line to pass through the check in, already passed it. She walked past the shops, waiting for her plane. Waiting for her group. And there they were. under the sign, A13.

Five teenagers, two adults.

Sarah looked behind herself. She was surrounded by people, yet she felt cold, alone. She turned back to the group. Young female looked at her, recognizing her from the photos her parents sent her. She motioned her to come closer.

It was too late…

She would come, slowly. They had time. The woman tapped her shoulder.

" We're all in" She stated to the older man. He nodded.

Sarah turned to see grim faces of her peers. Her own matched theirs.

" Aren't we excited?" The woman burst out with excitement. Fake.

They all exchanged glances.

It was too late.

* * *

With closed eyes, Sarah listened into the muffled by the plane cabin, roar of the engines. Savouring the comfort of the seat, knowing she wouldn't feel it for a long time, Sarah thought over Toby's words. One thing that she knew about her little brother was that all his visions and fears were always correct. She thought back to the day, five months ago, when Toby woke up during night, with tears rushing to her room. He had a dream. A nightmare. Merlin falling under the wheels of a speeding car. On the next day, Merlin indeed had fallen under the wheels of speeding car, right in front of Sarah and Toby's eyes. It was dreadful. Toby seemed to close up within himself for few weeks, reliving the event over and over again. It was Sarah who finally brought him back, when she showed him the park for the first time.

_Don't give in_

Give in into what? The camp's brainwashing? No, this wasn't something Sarah concerned herself over with. It was something much more darker, more _dangerous_. It seemed to be right there on the end of her tongue, the answer tickling her softly, but never allowing her to catch it, always step before her.

" Dear passengers, we will land in London in twenty minutes. Please return to your seats, fasten your seatbelts and raise your chairs to the standard positions. Thank you" The voice came out of nowhere punching Sarah back into the reality. She looked outside through her circular window, gazing into darkness. Oh, right, It was night in London about nine in the evening. That would mean that back in California it was just 12 o clock in the afternoon.

The plane slowly descended back towards the ground.

* * *

After arriving at the airport, the two instructors gathered all the teenagers together, and the woman began.

" Welcome to the fantastic adventures in the wild. As I have said before, my name is Amelia Longnose, and this is David Buttermild. We will be your companions and instructors for the upcoming adventure on the horseback. I will now check the lists to see that everyone is here…" Sarah frowned. Couldn't they just count them? It would be so much faster.

" Thomas Harris" A tall, handsome boy with short wavy honey blond hair and dimmed green eyes answered confirmative. From his stiff form, Sarah could see that he too didn't think well of the" Fantastic adventures in the wild".

" Samantha Harris" a slightly shorter girl with similar honey blonde hair and brown eyes nodded and raised her hand slightly. She looked much more relaxed than her brother, as Sarah concluded from their shared name, as if not noticing the dark aura around the others.

" Linda Hernby" Short girl with straight brown hair nodded and said quietly "present".

" Sarah Williams" Sarah nodded quickly.

" And lastly Paul Wheatsby" a ginger boy nodded.

" Great" Amelia clapped with enthusiasm that wouldn't be seen in any other teenager " Now, of we go to the ranch. Tonight we will sleep in the barn on the ranch, and tomorrow each one of you will receive your own horse, which you are responsible for taking care of. As you know the purpose of this camp is to show you how we CAN live along with nature, we CAN be good and kind people…" Yeah right, Sarah thought bitterly as she followed Amelia and David to the bus stop. Those people really know how to lie. Sarah looked around the Heathrow airport, as she changed hands in pulling her suitcase. Everyone had suitcases with them, in the information on the website, the company assured their parents that they would receive saddlebags.

This should be exciting for Sarah. A horse camp, in England, away from her nagging parents. However the camp has received certain… fame between the teenagers. People came back… Changed. Almost _Lifeless. _Those people used to be different, Mathematical geniuses or artistic freaks. People who were so great at their work , had such a big talent, that became a nuisance. They were sent to such camps as this, and they would come back hating the very thing that few weeks earlier were the centre of their lives. No one knew how the company made it. How they achieved destroying people's talents, all because the government was afraid.

It wasn't like that always. Couple years earlier, everything was normal, Sarah had normal life. But then after that night… Everything changed. At the same time when Sarah bested the great Labyrinth, New president lections were taking place. One of the contestants was a middle aged Richard S. Pillshead, a man with radical beliefs. An extremist. America changed so much in those two years. Restrictions placed everywhere, even on Hollywood. No more direct violence. No more sex. Though with this Sarah could agree. The impact sex and violence in the cinema was enormous, people believing they had the right to sleep with everyone after first dates, and men to beat the crap out of their partners. And people called _her_ a whore, just because she wanted to become an actress. Her, who never had a boyfriend, who believed sex was something much more intimate and beautiful to be wasted on _boyfriends_. Seventeen and a virgin. Quite a feat in this times.

There were, however, bans and restrictions that weren't as noble. No one could leave their houses after ten in the evening, no one could buy things made from China, everything imported was banned, and if one were caught with a _Chinese_ object, he would be sent to prison for two months. Other restrictions were made, fast food banned, nightclubs closed, things that ideally should be closed, changed _everything_. Schools were strict, each day the classes would start from a small hymn, hiding propaganda and threats. Curriculums were changed, stripped of the most interesting parts into cold grey information. Arts were almost completely banished. Hollywood had a very hard time getting anything out. It was extremely hard to get out of the country, USA seemed to cut itself from the rest of the world. Only camps such as " the fantastic adventure in the wild" were allowed to leave, the company working with the government. There were no ads, no bookstores, nothing that would give too much information. No newspapers, no press at all, TV channels would be restricted to the government channels.

Sarah relished in the colours of the ads on the billboards, as did the other teenagers. Couple of years ago things like ads were normal. Now the typical American would possess a small ford car, house and just enough money to buy food, it didn't matter what the job was, everyone received the same amount of money.

Just like Communism, something we ran away through whole 20th century, Sarah thought as the small group stopped by the bus stop, waiting for the bus to the small village outside London, Burrowhill. Looking at the ground, she could see wet pavement.

It was raining. I guess that British weather wasn't just a joke, Sarah thought, looking around her. Everything seemed so different here, starting from the terminal 5 Heathrow, to those weird black taxis.

While Sarah observed the passing taxis, two blonde siblings walked up to her.

" Hi" The blonde girl, _Samantha_, started, bringing Sarah back. The black haired girl turned to the blonde girl and looked at her.

" Your name is Sarah, right? I am Samantha, but everyone calls me Sam, and this is my brother Tom" She gestured towards the taller boy, who looked down at Sarah with hidden interest, his eyes gentle. Sarah felt a lump in her throat.

" Hi" She said, not knowing what more she could say. She wasn't really one to talk too much.

" Its such a good feeling to get out of that damp" Sam continued, thinking about her home " I really hope we become friends!" Sarah smiled slightly, though she wasn't really in the mood to make friends. For that matter, she never really was…

Sam continued her monologue with happiness, not realizing that Sarah tuned her off a long while back. It wasn't until Amelia asked her to come over to help in something, that Sarah was left with Tom. They looked at each other, both silent and understanding. They didn't want to talk. They didn't want to be here. They didn't want their home to be like it was. They didn't want to talk.

The bus arrived, and Sarah and Tom formed bond of understanding. Still not uttering one word, they walked up to the entrance of the doors and walked up the steps into the small passage in between rows of seats. Sarah sat in the furthest place possible at the very back of the mini-bus, surprised to see Tom walk up to her asking if he could join. It appeared that Samantha already moved to her new prey, Linda.

The bus left the airport, And Sarah content in the silence between her and Tom looked out through the cold window glass, looking out into the darkness beyond the road. The journey would take some time, and it was better to get comfortable. The girl amused herself by looking how little drops of rain made their way down the window. The mere image of water caused Sarah to remember her thirst. She didn't drink for five hours, and being dehydrated in the plane caused the slight headache she had at the moment. Leaning down to reach her bag, Sarah took out her water bottle and opened the cork, quickly taking two sips. She looked down at the bottle with interest.

… _The molecules of water are moving around at different speeds, some fast, some slow. When molecule is at the surface, and moving fast enough, it may escape the liquid…_

Sarah twirled the bottle around looking how it hit one wall, then rebounded and hit the other side.

…_The molecules of water move around in different speed…_

Could this be said about people as well? Some people quickly adjusted to the new situations some did not, some people were more clever than others, some more stubborn defiant…

" What are you thinking about?" Sarah heard Tom ask. Turning her green eyes towards him, Sarah smiled.

" Now that is a very personal question. What would you give to know?" She said it in mock mysterious tone, and Tom understood that she was just joking.

" And what is it you would like?" Sarah turned her eyes towards the water bottle.

" Understanding" She said quietly.

" We can work on that" Tom responded carefully.

" I was thinking about people. And water" Tom frowned at her not understanding.

" I was thinking about evaporation and how it really works, than thought if I could compare people to the water molecules" Tom tilted his head curious.

" You mean how the fastest of the molecules escape from the liquid when at surface?" Sarah nodded and smiled.

" Yeah. You're a physics guy?" Tom nodded.

" You?"

" Nah, I am art. Though it interests me" Tom smiled.

" Are you interested in Astrophysics?" Sarah nodded eagerly and smiled.

" My favourite. I am going to study it next year"

Tom and Sarah spent their whole journey in this manner. Talking over the stars and planets, red giants and supernovas. They didn't know how important it would really be.

* * *

The journey took more than two hours, though Sarah suspected that it wasn't because of traffic or the distance. The driver looked as if he had just stepped out from some medieval movie, all disorientated and confused about his surroundings. By the time the bus stopped before the ranch, everyone save for the driver, Tom and Sarah were asleep. When the driver turned off the engine, everyone seemed to come back, yawning and stretching, as they sat up , looking out through the window. Not much was visible, save for the outline of the ranch. There was thick fog surrounding the bus and Sarah couldn't help but shiver slightly.

" Ok everybody, let's move out" Amelia called out, and everyone took their belongings before thanking sleepily the driver and walking out of the bus onto the courtyard. There wasn't any pavement or anything like that, only dirt and mud. Sarah turned in alarm as Samantha screamed.

" Oh my god, my luggage! Its dirty!" the suitcase was covered in mud, surrounded by mud, _in_ the mud. Sarah used all her willpower to resist the urge to laugh, Tom who was by her side all the time, rolled his eyes for his sister.

Not saying a word, Sarah turned to Amelia and David who were currently talking with the owner of the ranch, an elder man with grey white hair, and milky eyes.

… _The eyes that see…_

Sarah thought suddenly.

Amelia turned to the group and waved so that everyone focused on her.

" All right people. We will sleep in the barn, in the old way" That was all she said before turning and signalling everyone to followed her. Tom cast her a surprised and confused glance. The way she said "we", could as well be translated into "you"

" I have a bad feeling that tonight we won't sleep well" Sarah murmured to him, as they walked towards the outline of the barn.

" What do you mean?"

" You will see"

Just as Sarah thought, the group would sleep not in bed, but on straw. After Linda and Sam argued and whimpered for a while, the two girls located themselves near to the exit, saying that: " in case something crawls over us we will have quick route of escape". Sarah shaking her head, moved to the back of the barn along with Paul and Tom, knowing as well as the boys, that the cold air from the doors would frighten the girls away soon enough, and there really wouldn't be any difference if one were by the exit or on the back, something would crawl over them either way.

Sarah always preferred the company of the boys. Seeing that neither Paul nor Tom were harmful, both nice towards her and respectful, she decided to sleep by their side, not the girls who would complain about everything for the whole night. Boys, initially surprised by Sarah's choice, didn't mind really, as long as Sarah didn't complain. Tom, who spent two hours talking with her, saw that Sarah wasn't really like his sister, and persuaded Paul just that. The owner showed them the bathroom, and everyone took their turns. First were the instructors, who received guest bedrooms. Then, Linda and Sam who went together, afraid of the fog. Later came the boys and finally Sarah. She wasn't afraid of trivial things like darkness, knowing there are worse things to fear. After brushing teeth and combing her hair, she walked out f the bathroom and walked down out of the house to the courtyard. The fog surrounded her in thick veil. Somehow, Sarah seemed to lose herself and the next thing she saw was an edge of the giant forest. Now having a reason to be terrified, Sarah took a deep breath, examining her location.

" Why hello there" An icy cold voice stopped her in her tracks. _No_…

Sarah turned towards the source of the voice looking at the black silhouette.

" Why, Sarah dear, I would have thought that you would learn your manners by now. _Seventeen _years old" Still, Sarah didn't answer him. Still couldn't see his face.

" Why so quiet? Cat got your tongue?" the voice taunted her.

" Goblin king"

Everything stilled. Then the voice laughed.

" So formal. We are much closer than _that_ Sarah" Her name was said in a delicious whisper, making the girl shiver slightly.

" What are you doing here?" Her voice was leveled. The silhouette took a step towards her.

" Why, I met you only by accident, to this I swear. A lonely girl, caught in this… _deceitful_ fog" The voice turned into a whisper, predatory. Sarah stood her ground, her chin raised defiantly.

" You have no business here," She told him.

" How wrong you are my little… _princess_ "Princess. Sounds so innocent, filled with goodness beyond words.

" You have no power over me" She said quietly. The dark silhouette had heard it though.

"You are right. I don't" Something in his voice scared Sarah to her inner core. He said it, a threat hiding behind his words. Sarah understood. This wasn't the last time she would see him.

" What do you want?"

A pause. Then…

" You will see soon won't you? I will leave you for now, my dear Sarah. My little princess" And with that he disappeared, and Sarah stood in front of the barn once more, as if nothing had ever happened.

* * *

Perhaps this was just a hallucination, Sarah thought. I was dehydrated and tired after the long journey. Sarah was currently sitting by the large dining table, With Tom on her left and Paul on her right. Both boys looked like hell, just like she probably did. There was no mirror in the little bathroom, much to Sam's and Linda's disapproval which _was_ shown clearly enough, but on the other hand, she didn't want to see herself right now. The dream- hallucination… whatever it was, still played in front of her eyes. Silent, she consumed her cereals, while Tom and Paul mocked the girls.

Amelia and David entered the dining room, both looking relaxed.

" Good Morning" Amelia said with her high-pitched, _loud, _irritating voice. The rest nodded towards her, Sam and Linda welcomed her quietly.

" After breakfast, we are going to get our horses, and in two hours we will leave" Sarah stood up and took her bowl to the kitchens were she proceeded to wash it. When she finished she turned off the tap and turned. With shock, Sarah almost dropped the bowl to the ground. The wife of the owner of the ranch stood less than a meter from her, her brown eyes staring right at Sarah. Without a word, she passed a piece of paper to Sarah, turned and quickly moved out of the room. Sarah, after initial shock, looked down on the paper, read the printed words.

… _Beltane is the Sex Sabbat just as Samhain, held six months hence, is the Death Sabbat. Up to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th Century, marriage vows were conveniently forgotten at Beltane in many rural European villages. Newly formed 'couples' went into the plowed fields at night to lie down together and copulate in order to ensure the fertility of the coming year's crops…_

That's disgusting, Sarah thought with repulsion, but read more.

… _During Beltane, men seek out their partners. Seducing young maids, Some of the men are dangerous, while others make tender lovers. It is also a time, when the veil between the worlds is thin allowing the otherworldly creatures to come with their full power…_

Sarah stared down at the paper. Men seducing maids? Dangerous? Thin veil…

" Oh my god!" Sarah exclaimed, realization hitting her.

" Everything all right?" It was the owner's voice, filled with concern as he entered the kitchen. Sarah hid the paper from him and turned smiling apologetically.

" Yes… I am very sorry, I just remembered I didn't bring my phone with me" She lied smoothly while the owner raised his eyebrows.

" Dear me, that is terrible indeed. I hope that your friends will lend you one if you are in need"

" I am sure they will. And if not I still have… Amelia" For a second there, Sarah couldn't remember the name "I am sorry, I need to pack everything up. Change of bags you know" And with that being said, Sarah stormed off to the barn.

* * *

Sarah didn't get a lot of time to think about Jareth, barely re-packing her things into the saddle bag, when Amelia called everyone to the stables.

" Alright, since everyone is here and ready, we will sort out the horses. First, the girls" Amelia stopped looking at the owner of the ranch who took over.

" You little lady" He said to Sam " Will have this one," He pointed to the brown muscular horse.

" Her name is Roselina. Now you miss" He turned to Linda " Will have the white one. Angel" Linda squealed happily.

" As for you miss, I can see you have a strong character. You will need a horse that matches it. Take Blackstar," He pointed on a black horse. Blackstar was a beautiful majestically horse, its chin raised defiantly as he stared on Sarah. The girl walked up to its box and stopped right in front of her. Looking directly into Blackstar's eyes, she asked the horse silently if she could touch her. After few moments, Blackstar lowered its head and took a step towards Sarah. The girl petted the horse fondly, raising its chin up.

" We are equal, and we look each other in the eye" She told it, and the horse's eyes glimmered with surprise and happiness. Sarah looked back as the rest were given horses. Tom was given a Pinto, Paul a grey horse with black spots, while Amelia and David received two brown horses.

" Now, groom the horses and saddle them. We will leave today to the Peterborough. We should get there in seven hours, so prepare yourself for a long ride" Sarah opened the doors of the box and stepped carefully into it. Blackstar looked at her carefully, though didn't seem to be nervous at all. Sarah stroked its neck and started to brush its fur. An understanding.

Soon everyone else did the same and finally everyone was ready to leave. Their suitcases were locked in the guestroom, and the seven riders sat upon their horses ready to go. When Amelia was thanking the owner, his wife walked up to Sarah's horse, looking up at the young girl.

" I must congratulate you dear girl. Blackstar is our toughest horse and only you would be able to handle him correctly. Be careful on Beltane my dear girl" And with that, she turned before Sarah had time to ask her questions.

" Come on people. Were going!" Amelia told the rest and soon all seven horse were trotting lightly down on the street.

* * *

Now, being on the back of Blackstar, Sarah had a lot of time to think. And a lot of things to think about too.

_Be careful on the Beltane night_

Be careful of what? Of Jareth? How would the wife of the owner of the ranch know anything about the Goblin King? Or was it someone else? But why would anyone be interested in her? Why was Jareth interested in her? Was it the need for revenge? What should she do? Why now? All the questions started to build up in her head, and soon it was just too much for her to bear. Shaking her head, Sarah thought: If there is one thing that Sarah was sure of, it was that Jareth's unpredictable. Maybe he didn't even come for _her_, maybe he really met her on accident when he was waiting for another girl… Why did this thought bring her pain?

Yes, Jareth definitely didn't come here for her… But does it change anything? He still _came_ and that's enough to make one worry.

… _When the veil is thin…_

…_Coming with their full powers…_

Whatever he is planning it's nothing good. The worst thing was, that there was nothing that Sarah could do to prepare. Beltane was coming.

* * *

The day grew very short, therefore the group hadn't stopped at Stonehenge as it originally planned, much to Sarah's dismay. Being in love in all the things ancient, it was almost a sin not to visit the historical sight, especially when this was the first time Sarah went to United Kingdom. However, being out voted by the rest, she had to follow the lead of Amelia and David, who seemed to get lost twice already in the space of three hours.

As Sarah rode on the back of Blackstar, she felt every single movement of the beautiful horse. Being on the back of the group along with Tom and Paul, who seemed to have little problems with calming down his horse, she looked up on the landscape around her.

The group of riders were trotting lightly in the flat countryside of England, riding along old wooden fence. Heavy clouds loomed above them, threatening to spill its water down upon them in any second. Sarah felt heavy at heart.

Tom proved to be a person on whom she could rely on. He listened to her, listened to her thoughts, and seemed to be the right person to be with. Sarah felt happy being in his company not always talking, sometimes just riding arm in arm in silence.

The group arrived to Peterborough just after the sun hid under thick forest. Sarah halted her horse and dropped gracefully from Blackstar's back. Taking the reigns into her hands she looked how the rest of the campers hopped off, a little less gracefully than her, off the horses. When everyone rubbed their aching thighs and complained about the pain and fatigue, Sarah stood there, not feeling anything at all. Weird, that I am not tired, that I have no pain... She thought, as she went towards the tree where Tom was tying his horse, Alustair to one of the thick branches, then stopped suddenly and turned towards Blackstar. Looking into his eyes, she thought.

_You won't run away will you?_

And much to her surprise, she heard a faint voice.

_We are loyal to our equals, we will stay_

Sarah blinked. And then she blinked once more. Did that horse just...

_Yes my equal. I did_

Sarah smiled. She petted Blackstar's nose and said quietly.

" I think that after all the hard day we should take all that metal away from you, don't you think?" and to Sarah's amusement the horse began to... Nod? Shake his head?

Quickly, and with flexible fingers, Sarah took the reigns out of the way upon which she heard a faint

_Thank you_

And then she moved to the saddle and saddlebag, leaving them down on the ground with a large thump.

_Will you stay with me?_

She asked the horse.

_In every waking moment Sarah_

She smiled and then a shrill voice rang:

" What the _hell_ are you doing? Quickly catch the horse before it run's away!" It was Amelia's voice, and Sarah sighed.

" No _he_ won't. He has pride you know, he wouldn't leave me" Amelia stopped, eyes confused and then - laughter, spreading around, stopping every other camper from their work to look in their direction.

" Who are you little Sarah Williams, to know so much about horses? To know more than a professional rider?" Sarah looked into Blackstar's eyes, those black eyes shining with hidden anger. Putting a soothing hand on the horse's neck, she turned to Amelia.

" I was born with the horses, my family owns a horse farm..." Amelia snorted.

" I am in profession with horses for twenty years" Sarah's calm aura broke as suddenly as a water bubble.

" I was taught by my grandfather, Frederick Williams" Amelia paled. Only now everything was sinking down in her head. Frederick Williams, was the worlds best horse trainer, in all his career no horse lost any tournament or races he taught and trained. It was said that he had some sort of connection with the animals, some sort of bond. Frederick was a rider himself and won hundreds of cups. His name was famous throughout the world.

" _When_ it escapes, you are the one paying for it" Sarah stood her ground, her gaze leveled.

For her will was stronger than Amelia's. Her kingdom much greater. Because she had the power over her.

" Amelia" she said quietly and the woman stopped from turning away " It's Blackstar. No horse is an _it_. grandpa Fred's first law" and she turned to tend to the black horse who stood proud and gazed down at the brunette Amelia with hate.

* * *

The fire was lit, the flames danced high in the air. Smoke rose in curved shape up, and up, and up disappearing in the darkness. Sarah laying down on her little bed made from a thick winter blanket and a sleeping bag upon it, backed up by her saddle, observed how the colours of the flames change, how they would attack the air and then retreat.

Just like a snake, she thought, just like Amelia. Amelia... She _is_ a snake, she even has the eyes like it. Always attacking to give a lethal wound, always backing out just as quickly, attacking again and again until she hunts down her prey. Why does she hate me? I didn't do anything in the first place, she just picked on me. What a snake...

_... snake..._

" Hey" Sarah jumped as Tom lay down next to her. He made his " bed" right next to hers, much to raised eyebrows of Sam.

Sarah turned her eyes to look at him and smiled.

" I swear that Alustair has something with stomach. His Saliva was _green_!" Sarah laughed.

" That's probably because he was eating grass before you decided to take the reigns off. That's a lesson for you for the future" Tom laughed turning back to see Blackstar trotting up to Sarah. She turned and smiled at him.

_Could you take this saddle somewhere else? I would like to lay down_

Sarah was surprised at that, but quickly moved the saddle so that she separated herself from Linda who was her other neighbour.

_Thank you. You can rest our head on me if you want_

And with that the horse delicately played down, much to surprise of everyone around, even Sarah.

_Thank you, that would be really kind of you_

She replied and rested her small pillow against Blackstar's back.

" You really are granddaughter of Frederick Williams aren't you?" Tom asked her, quite envious of the warmth Blackstar gave out. Looking back this horse who was grazing the grass, he gritted his teeth and sank lower on his saddle in mock anger.

Sarah laughed at that and patted Blackstar delicately on his back.

" He is just a wonderful horse," she told him and if he could, Blackstar would be purring with joy.

If Sarah look around to see Amelia, she would see how tight lipped and narrowed eyed the angry woman got.

_... With every action there is a consequence. No matter how small the action, there__** will **__be one..._

* * *

Sarah looked around. She found herself on a plain, filled with short green grass, stones sticking out of the ground.

_Stonehenge_

_... And the devil took them for his own, no one would ever know..._

_..." And here is where you are wrong" the mortal said..._

Mist sprawled around her, sticking to her body, tickling her ankles.

_" _Hello Sarah" a whisper, or wind?

Sarah turned.

" Goblin King" her voice quite, steady.

The black silhouette turned into a man. Tall, with wild silver blonde hair falling down in thick cascades. Eyes - mismatched eyes- staring at her - with lust? Greed? Teeth sharp as a razor, lips smirking. Goblin king.

_... Little red riding hood gasped as a big black wolf stumbled on her pathway..._

" Say my name Sarah"

" Why?" silence. Deafening silence. And a laugh.

" I speak your name, your _sweet_ name, your **_beautiful_** name. You however don't utter mine" Sarah didn't answer. Her gaze levelled with his own.

" My precious thing, how quiet you are nowadays. But, tell me, what is the reason for this? Are you so unhappy with my appearance?" Sarah tilted her head, her eyes seeing.

" I want you gone from my life Goblin King" her words harsh, like sand against velvet.

" That isn't my name darling girl. Not my _real name_" a warning in his voice. Sarah didn't even flinch.

" It's a dream, isn't it?" goblin king smiled, his eyes sharp.

" Is it?" he asked - innocently- as he took a step towards her.

_... Her grandmother told her not to trust strangers..._

" It has to be. You have no power over me" she replied with confidence. The man- the creature before her- stopped, an arm length away from her.

" My pretty girl. _My_- I wanted to say this for so long. And now... Now I can" his teeth glimmered, exposed. Sarah's heart took its race.

" I am not yours," she whispered.

" Darling _love_" he laughed " I _found _you. I lost you- two years - but now I have you" Sarah frowned, took a step back.

" You're mad," she said hoarsely looking into his shining eyes- mad eyes.

" Am I really? Or is it you who are... _Mad"_ the word seeped out lazily.

" Why would I be mad?"

A blink. He grinned.

" Why would _I _be?"

Sarah sighed. Her black hair curling down her back.

" We are getting no where. What do you want Ja-" she stopped herself. He grinned.

" I see you haven't change one bit from our last meeting. But tell me, precious Sarah, do you feel this... Tinge of magic in the air?" Sarah frowned. She opened her mouth to reply no, when she felt it. At first it was small feeling, like one lock of hair lost in the desert of hair. But then the feeling grew, a tickling sensation that dazed her scents, that lightened her heart. _Magic_.

Jareth observed her all the while grinning like a wolf...

..._ The wolf asked the girl..._

" Ah, you do" he said thoughtfully.

" Why are you here?"

" You know why, dearest" Sarah closed her eyes.

" I don't understand" her voice- raspy like an old creaking doors- lost with the night.

" I searched for you my darling. I could never quite find you. But now, here I am, and you aren't unhappy to see me are you? No- dearest of all- you hide it well, but deep in your heart - your big heart- you _feel_ don't you? You feel the _excitement _every time you see my face- your eyes - so innocent- your eyes show me what you feel" she opened her mouth to protest, and yet nothing came out.

_... The wolf understood and grinned at the girl, she told him what he wanted to know..._

He grinned, revealing his white, sharp teeth, gleaming in the moonlight. Sarah shuddered- from cold, from fear. She didn't know.

" You know nothing Goblin king" she sated coldly, her dry voice... Jareth tilted his head slightly and smiled at her.

" I know _everything _my love"

" Stop calling me that" he raised his shaped eyebrows.

" I am not your pet" she finished.

Silence. Nothing, not even air dared to move.

" Tell me Sarah..."

_... And the wolf knocked on the door..._

She stilled. He took another menacing step towards her.

" How does you brother fare?" Sarah's mouth popped open, her eyes narrowing.

" If you lay one finger on him..." he laughed, his laugh cold, uncaring.

" My dear, _really_" he stretched the word lazily, his teeth so sharp... " You should know by now" he stopped in front of her, towering over her with his height.

" Know what?" she crooked out her voice so _dry_...

" Why the boy is the way he is of course!" he exclaimed, suddenly happy, grinning like a...

" What did you do to him you monster?" her voice was hushed.

Jareth outstretched his hand to caress her cheek, softly, fondly. Sarah didn't move.

" I - nothing. The question is my sweet, what did _you _do to him?" with that he kissed her, his kiss got - against the cold air, his touch possessive, indestructible. Shocked and bewildered Sarah stood there...

_... And she opened them..._

_... Unknowingly..._

Sarah woke up with a gasp. Looking around, she saw darkness, the fireplace died down long ago. People slept in their little beds, some were snoring, some were shifting. Sarah looked at sleeping form of Amelia, across the fireplace.

Fake,

Fake, fake, fake, fake, fake, fake, FAKE...

_Sarah stop!_

Sarah stopped. Blackstar's voice bringing her back to reality.

_Thank you Star_

She felt the horse shift slightly.

_No problem_

Sarah waited for a moment, her body stiff and still. Then, she fought herself upwards and soon was on her feet. Why wasn't she tired? Why wasn't she in pain? Why wasn't she hungry after a full day of riding? Why the only thing she felt were her lips, after that kiss...

That kiss!

..._Why is the boy the way..._

_... I - nothing the question is..._

He comes in my sleep. He is waiting...

_...When the veil is thin..._

_... They come..._

She took a step towards the forest, the wet grass tickling her bare feet. Not feeling cold... I can't feel cold! Why don't I feel cold? Everyone feels cold...

Sarah took another step. Something compelling her to walk towards the dark patch of trees. Something... Calling her...

She found herself in the forest. It was dark, only stars and the half full moon lighted her path. It was dark, and yet she saw.

..._The eyes that see..._

See what? The Remainder of the cut trees, symbolizing human greed? Survival? Maybe the animals hiding from her in fear. Or maybe...

No, he is not here. He was just a dream, he's not here.

Why was she here then? Something called her?

Sarah stopped. Her eyes falling on one of the fallen trees. Upon it...

... A golden dress made of beautiful golden silk taffeta, with delicate golden laces...

It was a wedding dress. It was gold.

..._ We're choosing the path..._

A voice whispered- or was it the wind- or trees?

Sarah shook her head.

"Lies"

* * *

Days passed. The group travelled up the English lands, and entered Scotland. Five days passed and the campers reached North Berwick, a town on the East of the country. The group would visit the Tantallon castle, five miles from the city. Five days passed and already the influence of the two instructors were visible on the campers. Every night, there would be " integration" evening, in which instructors, or more specifically Amelia, would tell different stories and do different activities. Sounded all nice and charming, but the reality wasn't as fluffy as it seemed. Each story and activity had a deeper meaning in it, designed to make teenagers feel smaller, think their talents insignificant, forcing them to choose between family and country and their talents. All this, of course, was done so that they didn't realize it, hidden behind innocent games and stories. This was what made those camps so successful in their work, the kids don't really notice. At least, most of them don't.

Sam was the first to fall for their games. Her behavior changed radically. Of course, she was weak from the very beginning, the type of girl who wasn't interested in life, in knowledge, instead going for the pleasure she could find in the physical world, found in men and gossips. It wasn't very hard to direct her mind to more... Safer path. The government was terribly afraid of people such as them. But only now, that Sarah looked closer on each individual, she saw why. Each person had a certain... Aura around them, magic. How could she not see it earlier? Sam and Linda had the weakest aura from all participants, dim. Did Sarah have an aura as well? Yes she did, she could see it sometimes- or was it the sunlight?

Throughout the days, Sarah observed how people's auras dimmed, shrank, burned out. Only Tom remained powerful, his aura staying bright, just like hers...no, that's not true... She had an aura as well, but it was... Different. That was why Amelia hated her. Why the girls kept out of her path. She was stronger. Much stronger. Amelia on the other hand was completely normal. No aura, no magic, just simple woman who thrived when seeing others diminish. Sarah understood. It wasn't the skills and talents that they were trying to diminish. Their talents were merely the product of their magic. And it was the magic, the source of the talents that were killed off. Magic, not necessarily like the one seen in movies, more like a potential to do things. Thus the talents. Sam, the mathematical genius, a girl who won all the competitions in mathematics, who was capable of solving even the hardest of examples, was slowly losing this ability throughout the days spent on the camp, proof that the 'treatment' was working. Linda, on the other hand loved biology. She understood everything, was capable to memorize every single name of the bones in every mammal, knew every disease known, created theories that could be used to make cures for disastrous diseases. Yet after three days, her knowledge began to shrink. Linda was much like Sam in character, focused on physical world more than what could be beyond. She didn't need to know the answer to questions such as how the life wanted to know how it worked.

Sarah was the only dreamer in the camp. She was the ' artist' as she was called by everyone around her, with the sole exception of Tom. Tom, who seemed to understand completely, Tom who was perfect in every way. Who was a damn optimist, while she a realist. Tom who seemed so stubborn and perceptive, that he saw right through all the stories and activities Amelia came up with, just like her. Even Paul began to waver. Now, the camp reached North Berwick, at the first glance a normal town by the sea, with a small port and white cliffs. Five miles from it, there was a castle, Tantallon castle. It was there where the camp went. Leaving the Horses with David who calmly declined visiting the castle. After assembling everyone together she started.

" This castle was built in 14th century by William Douglas, the curtain wall over there is 49 feet tall..." Sarah looked around. The ruins of the castle were sprawled around the fields, solitary old stone fence leading the way back to the town. The ruins were made out of red sandstone, at least along with Amelia's words. The small group followed the instructor, who continued her monologue.

"... In 2008 a psychology professor released a picture of a man in a ruff behind the railings of this window!" she pointed at one of the windows of this wall opening. "The photo was examined by three experts and claimed to be authentic..." Sarah looked up suddenly interested, gazing at the window."... Moving on, there on that courtyard..." Sarah stayed behind, while the rest moved on. She felt a strange coldness in the place, when no one else did. Sarah gazed up the window intently, and the her heart halted for a there, on the same window, Sarah found a man staring down at her. His black eyes hooded her own, hypnotizing her, entrancing. He wore medieval clothes in green shades and a ruff, his black hair smooth. Suddenly Sarah felt she was alone, no one apart from her standing at the bottom of the great wall.

" _Come_" Sarah stiffened. Was it the wind? No, this man is surely just a man dressed in medieval clothes, he was there for public entertainment...

" _Come_" no it was a voice! It was him! Sarah looked down on the opening in the wall before her, then looked quickly where the group went on, before returning her gaze to the man who looked down at her with this empty eyes.

" _Come_" his lips moved, but how was it possible that she heard him from so far...She took a step towards the gap. And another. Slowly, Sarah reached the opening of the wall and walked into the cool, moist darkness. Her stepped echoed into the silence, everything seemed to stop. Sarah walked slowly, forgetting everything. This man wanted something from her, he waited for walked up the old stairs, the temperature cooling down, the silence was almost deafening. How could silence be deafening? Why did no sound act on one's ear like massive explosion? Sarah frowned. It showed how people needed balance, they couldn't have too much but neither...

" _Come_" the whisper sounded once more and Sarah stopped. The man stood right in front of her on the steps of the stairs. She looked at him curiously, fear gripping her heart. She was alone, with a man dressed in medieval suit...

" _Sarah Williams, I waited long for you,_" his voice sounded old, crispy, dead.

" Who are you?" her voice was firm, it was a shell. Inside, Sarah was trembling from fear. The man turned from her, his eyes on the wall. He leaned against it.

" _My name is... Was... Alexander Seton_" Sarah gasped, shocked. Alexander Seton, Amelia talked about him earlier.

" You... You defended Tantallon castle against Cromwell's forces!" she exclaimed. E man smiled bitterly.

" _And I lost. This magnificent castle was reduced to the ruins you see nowadays. For ten days, I have fought, but no castle can defend itself forever_" Sarah looked at him sadly. It must have been terrible to see a castle, defended with all your strength, collapse and destroyed into ruins.

" You wanted to see me. You said you were... Waiting for me" Sir Alexander looked back at her, and she saw fear, skillfully hidden in the depth of his black orbs, yet still visible.

" _He is coming for you_" his voice made her skin crawl.

" Who? Ja-" " Do not say his name!" he exclaimed, Sarah froze

" _He comes when called upon_" Sarah looked at the knight with fear.

" Who is he? Is he a pagan deity? A demon?" the man- ghost- shook his head.

" _No, he is older than any of that. He comes before Christianity, Celtic and Roman religion, or even Egyptian. He is powerful, very powerful. You must go back, you're going straight into the trap_" Sarah shook her head.

" But how do you know? Why are you warning me?" the man took a step towards her, when Sarah heard yells.

"Sarah!" they both turned.

" _He wants you Sarah Williams! He cannot._.." Sir Alexander was stopped with another...

" Sarah! Where are you?"

" _You must go! Do not tell of me to a living soul"_

" Sarah are you here?"

" Is there any way I can help you?" Sarah ignored the voices calling her. She would face the consequences later. The ghost smiled warily at her.

" _No time. I am imprisoned here_"

" SARAH!"

" I will come back during the night. I will help you"

" _NO, don't come he can catch you..."_

" I am going to help you. I-"

" Sarah where the hell are you"

"- I am going to come. I am going to help you. Wait for me here, I will come" with that she rushed down the stairs, careful not to slip.

* * *

Sarah came out bumping right into Amelia. She was covered in dust and dirt, her hair were wild. Amelia inhaled sharply on her appearance.

" Where the hell have you been?" Sarah felt the Reston the group and one guard stare at her. She looked back at the opening but Sir Alexander was gone.

" I... Well, I found an opening in the castle and was just... Curious..."

" You are under our responsibility. NEVER dare to go further than eight feet from the group, understand?" Sarah nodded.

" You will be responsible for cooking tonight as your punishment. Now let's go, the Sun will be gone in two hours and we still have to get to our camping place. Now, move it people. We're going back" the group thanked the guard, who wasn't very pleased by being interrupted in whatever it was he was doing. Sarah walked with Tom and Paul in silence, after both boys asked her where she was, and she gave them the same answer as before.

* * *

After a very long shift, Sarah finished both cooking and cleaning after everybody, and Amelia called everybody for the game of Charades. Of course it was she who had the words they would act. Sarah walked up to Amelia.

" Amelia?" the woman turned and plastered on a fake smile. Sarah took a deep breath and put her acting skills into action

"I am feeling really unwell, my head is just killing me. Please, can I just go to my horse and relax. Please, I just need peace for a while" Amelia's face pulled into a frown.

" But Sarah this is Charades! And I heard you want to be an actress" Sarah looked at her, her eyes filled with pain. Amelia sighed and nodded.

" Alright, but I want to see you within my range of view" Sarah smiled slightly, almost painfully

" thank you" she whispered and turned slowly to walk towards the pasture.

_Star, could you please_...

She didn't have to finish, Blackstar was already by her side.

" I want to talk to you. To somebody"

_Of course_

Sarah smiled and sat under the nearby tree, more than fifty feet away from the rest of the horse did a thing that was usually quite extraordinary, but to this particular horse, it seemed the most normal thing in the world- it lay down by her.

" You see" Sarah started " I met a ghost today. The ghost seemed to wait for me, and he was once the man who defended that castle over there" She pointed on the castle on the horizon " he warned me. He warned me against someone who I think is invading my dreams" horse looked at her thoughtfully.

_I may not be a human, though neither are you, but..._

" Wait, what?" Sarah stared at Star " what do you mean I am not human?" the horse looked at her and if he were human himself he would have shrugged.

_I don't know, you don't smell human. At least... Not fully. No, you have this magic around you. All of those... Humans have it, but theirs is dim. Its not really magic. You however, you have power and magic. Unearthly magic_

Sarah gazed at the cliffs, about ten feet from her, thoughtfully. Then, she thought she heard something. A scream? Wind? She rose up from the dry grass, and headed towards the cliffs. The red sun was lowering down ear the horizon. Something made Sarah speed up, and soon she was standing up on the top of the cliffs staring down at the small beach underneath. There, laying down on unconscious lay a beautiful woman with long wet hair, making it impossible to say what color exactly they were, and thing, slim body. Beside her lay some material curled up. Sarah looked around quickly, looking for a way to reach the unconscious woman. She found a small path descending down the steep cliff, and soon enough she found herself by the unconscious woman.

" Miss? Miss are you alright?" Sarah ran up to her and kneeled by her side, checking her pulse and breathing. The woman seemed stable, breathing rate was normal, pulse normal. Sarah looked on the material resting beside the woman's head. She reached for it taking it into her hands. It felt like a... Like a... _Oh my god_! It was a fur!

Sarah stared at the woman, realization hitting her hard. Oh...

The woman's eyes flattered, she frowned. ...my...

Her hand shot to her forehead, rubbing it. ...god!

" Are you alright?" Sarah asked as the woman's brown eyes look up into her own green eyes.

" What...?" the woman slurred, when Sarah felt a delicate hand caress her hair. Turning swiftly back she saw nothing. Turning back to the woman she asked.

" Are you... Are you a Selkie?" the woman's eyes stopped on her. She inhaled deeply.

" You..." she rasped out, and then looked beyond her, her face pale.

" Get out!" with that she took hold of the fur and ran back to the sea. Sarah stared at the place where the woman disappeared. She had just seen a...

" Nice to see you again my dear" Sarah froze. The waves- they were gone, the sea flat and cold. Only now did the sun disappear fully behind the horizon, with moon high in the air, illuminating the man before her. She gasped and took a step back, stumbling on her feet.

" No! This... This is a dream!" Jareth laughed at her, throwing his head back. Sarah stilled, her body tense.

" Oh my precious thing. How you amuse me" Sarah narrowed her eyes." Are you telling me this is _not_ a dream?" the goblin king looked at her for a moment thoughtfully.

" You know, I love Scotland" he said suddenly, as if waking up from a thought " after all, I have so much more _power_ here than in any other land" he took a step forward, Sarah froze in place.

" The world changed so much, hadn't it? Your world especially. Not many people with magic is left on Earth, those...camps are very successful at that. Your world will fall to ruin soon, but it's not about it, I want to talk about" The goblin king stopped before Sarah his hand caressed her cheek. Sarah pulled away.

" Don't touch me" she retreated. He attacked. Soon she found herself caught in his embrace, fighting to find a way out. He smirked- inhaling her scent deeply- his nose burying itself in her hair.

" You cannot order me any more my sweet. For you are on _my_ lands, and the night is coming" Sarah let few hot tears flow down her flamed cheeks.

" Let me go" she crooked out. He laughed. " Never again my love- my _love_- how I waited to utter this words. Never before had I the chance... But no matter. You are here now, such a coincidence really... That I found you on your first night... That you let me in" His voice was hoarse and flamed, words whispered into her ears, assaulting.

" That you let me _in_..." Sarah gasped at the sensation of his hot lips against her cheek.

" It _is_ a dream!" the goblin king frowned with distaste, and suddenly Sarah pulled away from him " you have no power over me! And I will be ready for Beltane! Go away!" the goblin king looked angered for the first time, truly angered. His nostrils flared, Eyes narrowed, half hiding his sparkling with anger mismatched eyes, his body stiff. Silence. Nothing, not even the wind or waves dared to speak.

" Do not think..."

" NO, _you_ stop... I got it! You want some sort of sick revenge, you want to harm me! But you underestimated me again! All this is a dream, as long as I don't believe it, you have no power over me- no _power_- you want to scare me. Well I am not afraid. Go away Goblin King!" with a blink of an eye, he was gone.

* * *

How was it that no one saw her gone for what seemed hours, Sarah didn't know, but the fact remained that by the time Sarah got back to the rest of the camp, they just finished the charades. She felt powerful and confident, walking swiftly, with a smile on her face. She just bested the goblin king. Again! It was just so easy! She got to the camp quickly, when the rest of the group just came back. Amelia looked at her, and frowned at the happy girl.

" Now I see this solitude has served you well Sarah" she said, her voice irritated. But Sarah didn't care.

" I told you, a bit of solitude would do me good" and with that she went to her station laying down on the blankets she prepared. Laying down and feeling the warm confidence in her heart, she waited until everyone was asleep.

Afterall, she had a ghost to free tonight.

**AN: I had few PM messages to put all the four chapters together, as they want to have longer chapters, so here it is, 12 781 words. Naturally its going to take some time before I finish next chapter so please bear with me, afterall I am doing EXACTLY what you want me to. Those who read it already, I have made very small changes, I checked a bit, but PLEASE tell me of any mistakes I didn't correct, English is not my native language and I want to learn. J Uhm, what else, this story will have probably about seven chapters, I said PROBABLY :D If anybody has any questions at all, please do ask, and I ask for reviews, humbly and gratefully. **

**Saoirse**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**AN: Hello there J Do you remember me? No? Oh well, we will have to remedy that won't we? **

**Another chapter just for you :D**

The camp was silent. Sarah had waited for a long time until everyone fell asleep, but this time, the silence seemed unnatural. True, she _did_ want silence, because that meant that everyone was asleep, but that terrifying stillness, where there wasn't a soul moving, where the boys lay still like statues, even when each night they would change their positions in their sleeps every ten seconds. Or the soft breathing of Amelia, so soft that Sarah had to come close to her to see the instructor's chest rise very slowly up, and then down. What was happening? And this strange, compressed air, with some sort of invisible sparkles in the air, sparkles that couldn't be seen, but felt. The same as the night when Toby was stolen from his crib all those years ago…

Blackstar was already waiting for her by the tree about twenty meters from the campsite, though, strangely, it was quiet.

When Sarah pushed against the ground in order to stand up, her muscles stretched with protesting moans, making her stop in place when the sound seemed to spread in the speed of light around the field. Quickly praying for no one to wake up, she stood up, her back slightly curved, almost instinctively, as she took the first step away from the camp. When no one even twitched, she took another step, her mind conjuring this image of everyone suddenly bolting from their sleep and screaming " BOOO". After ten very careful steps, Sarah grew assured that she wouldn't wake anyone, and passed the horses of the rest of the capers, all tied to the old log. They followed her with their blank eyes, though not one moved.

Sarah began to take next step faster and faster, trying not to walk on any twigs, and to place her feet on bare ground where no leaves were resting after their falls. In what seemed an eternity, Sarah reached her horse and placing her pointing finger to her lips she hushed the horse, before making her way to sit up the animal's back.

_Quietly, lets go. Slowly, so they don't hear a thing_

Sarah thought to Star, and the horse took a step forward towards the ruins.

_I don't understand why you whisper Sarah. You placed a spell over everyone, there is no way they will wake up_

Sarah frowned, suddenly her mind seemed to stop. It took her few seconds to think properly.

_What do you mean, I did it? And…_

She stopped. Star said earlier that she wasn't human. He said that she had magic around herself. But to put people to sleep, as if putting a veil over the campsite through which no sound could have been made seemed so impossible, so surreal…

_I don't know how you humans work. All I know is that you did something to make them sleep. And good that you did, that Amelia woman is terribly irritating. I would like to see her become a horse, I wonder how long she would survive. _

Sarah giggled softly, as the horse walked slowly towards the ruins.

_Yes, I wonder how she would cope someone taking advantage over her. I mean, the way she rules her horse… Maybe I should help it a bit. She is almost cruel!_

Star seemed to nod at that as he reached fro a quicker tempo.

_There must be a connection between a horse and a rider Sarah. That's why those camps have high casualty. The riders don't care about us horses and…_

_Wait, what do you mean casualties?_

Blackstar seemed to halt in his speech. Sarah felt a shiver under her, and realized how tense she grew, clinging to Star's fur.

_Horses aren't so defenseless and submissive as you think Sarah. We fight. And many times we succeed. _

Sarah remained silent, taking the new piece of information in her head , and analyzing it.

_You don't have to keep quiet. Ask and I will answer._

She heard Star's amused voice and couldn't help but smile faintly.

_Would you do something to me?_

_Of course not! We are already connected. WE are connected for life, even when you will go back to America you will still hear me from time to time, if you so wished. From time to time you will even feel what I feel, and not always will it be a pleasant feeling. Horses have a very tiring and hard life you know. _

The ruins of the castle appeared on the fields, and Sarah lowered herself closer to Blackstar's neck. Then she realized, s she felt the horse's warmth, that she wasn't cold. Nights in Scotland weren't warm, to say the least, but being in a thin jacket and black leggings seemed enough for Sarah.

_Let's leave the topic for now. Though we will return to it later. Please tell me, what do you know of the ghosts? _

Star did something that reminded of a snort.

_There are plenty of ghosts in Scotland. As many as there are castles. Do you mean the ghost that stares at us from the window in the ruins? _

Sarah turned her gaze towards the ruins, and indeed saw the image of the ghost. How could she see such details from such a distance? That was certainly unnatural. No, that was impossible.

_We need to get to him. I want to free him from his misery_

Star went to a full gallop, and Sarah felt his muscles underneath her, and the ground moving under their feet.

_How do you know you can save him?_

_I just do. It's what I was meant to do._

It didn't take long for Sarah and Star to reach the ruins. With the moon being in half of its phase, the fields were dark and quiet frightening. Yet Sarah could see everything as if it was the middle of the day.

_That's weird. How can I see in darkness? The rule is that we see objects that reflect light into our eyes. But there isn't any light, and yet I can still see!_

_Write an essay about it later. For now, you have task before you, don't you? _

Sarah smiled at the wise horse and dropped down to the ground, gracefully falling on her legs. Her knees straightened, after the weight pulled them towards the ground and Sarah looked around, making sure that she was alone. Then, she turned towards Star and smiled at him.

_I will come in no time. I will call you when I am done okay?_

_Sure thing. _

And the horse was gone, galloping away, leaving Sarah alone to her task.

* * *

She turned towards the ruins, slight fear in her heart. She had respect for darkness, as she did with everything she feared. It was foolish to say she wasn't afraid, when there was danger present.

" Alright, let's get on with it" She muttered under her breath and walked slowly towards the entrance of the ruins. She swallowed hard, feeling how dry her throat was. She would have to drink something later on, when she finished her task. As she drew nearer to the old walls, she smelled the smell of rubbish, and with distaste saw a trash can, filled with trash, pouring out of the bin onto the moist grass.

Entering the darker courtyard, Sarah couldn't help but imagine monsters lurking in the darkness, and her breath hitched a bit when she thought she heard a footstep only to realize that it was her own.

" _You're here_" she suddenly heard, and against all odds she smiled.

"No shit Sherlock" The ghost didn't seem amused.

" _You shouldn't be here. It's a dangerous place_" the ghost seemed very serious, and Sarah couldn't help but feel a tug of fear drip like venom into her system.

" Do you mean ruins or Scotland?"

The ghost seemed to halt for a second, suddenly appearing next to the stairs, behind Sarah. The girl turned to meet her eyes with his, finding something strange, almost indescribable in them. It wasn't fear, yet something closely relating it. She wasn't given time to think closely about it, when the ghost answered her.

" _Both. This is a place of mythical creatures, where Deities rule with a firm hand, and beautiful females seduce men. But you are in danger Sarah Williams. Your name is written in the ancient scrolls, in many prophecies awaiting to become fulfilled. He wants you. He wants you so badly that he wont care how many deaths will come, just to meet you at the end of the road" _Sarah turned from the man, embarrassment evident in her eyes.

" I am sorry if anyone suffers because of me" She began looking back at the ghost " I am here to help you"

Sir Alexander seemed confused with the sudden change of topic.

" _Help me? That's not possible" _Sarah looked at the man for a longer while. He seemed so real, and yet not real at all. He was quiet handsome, muscular, with half long brown hair. He seemed to have flesh, but then seemed so see-through at times.

" Yes. I know I can" Sir Alexander didn't understand for a second and Sarah took a step towards him.

" You must know that what I am going to do is necessary" Her voice seemed hollow, as if it wasn't her speaking but something from her inner self, something wild, untamed, at the same time feeling sudden warmth and change in her.

And the girl leaned over to kiss the ghost slightly on the lips. It seemed so surreal, the ghost tasted of cold air, not warmth as a normal man would. Like Jareth did. But the girl continued her kiss pouring a small fraction of her essence into the man, and only when the ghost began glowing, faintly, did she release him from the kiss.

Sir Alexander stared at her shocked. A slight glow surrounded his body, and his hands began disappearing, slowly ascending his arms.

" _How – Why did you?" _

Sarah closed her eyes, sudden fatigue overpowered her sense as she felt something leave her body, before looking back at the disappearing ghost and smiling at him with kindness.

" You were never kissed before. That is why you were imprisoned between the worlds you didn't find your love. For a moment I haven't been myself… Do you remember Cordelia? I allowed her to take my body, and it was she that kissed you"

The sight of a frozen ghost, and a disappearing ghost at that wasn't something that Sarah saw everyday and with trouble she held back laughter.

" _Cordelia?" _His voice sounded unsure and… soft? Sir Alexander had quite a harsh, deep voice….

" Yes. You are free now. Return to your beloved" Before the ghost could say a word, he was gone.

And Sarah smiled with happiness feeling something in the air, something releasing that tension, and she could breathe once more.

* * *

As Sarah walked back the way she came through, she didn't feel any fear associated with the surrounding darkness. Or half-darkness more like. Star trotted up to her, as quickly as he went.

_You are in a good mood. I am taking that you succeeded in the quest?_

Sarah laughed before nodding.

_Oh yes, most definitely. It was amazing Star!_

The horse seemed to snort, something that he did very often.

_Come on let's go. You are still in danger the more you are alone. Let's get you back to the campsite._

The good mood left Sarah as soon as she heard the Campsite. She took a step towards Star and climbed up upon his back, and then Star began to walk lightly. Sarah felt the pain in her butt and thighs as they proceeded back to the campsite.

_Do you mean the Goblin King? What could he possibly do now? I won, he lost, he has no power over me! And besides, that camp is more dangerous than he is!_

Star seemed to shake his head and began to gallop. Sarah had enough time to catch to his mane, as she adjusted to the new tempo.

_You are a foolish woman Sarah. As bad as this camp is, The Goblin King is much worse. Trust me. The things he can do…_

Sarah lowered herself even further, until she felt the fur and the horse's warmth touch her bare collarbone.

_Tell me about him._

Star seemed to hesitate, before answering.

_He is not a trivial Faery, or even a deity. He is much stronger than any of that. No one knows what he is or when he was born. There are little things we know about him. HE is a secretive creature and only those who saw him, would remember him._

Sarah listened carefully, with each word her heart grew more rapid from fright.

_Does that mean that you met him once?_

For a long time Star didn't answer. All that Sarah could hear was his quickened breath, the hooves against the moist ground, ad smell the sweat forming below her on the animal's skin.

_I did._

The way Star's voice seemed to… _scream_ when it sounded so calm made Sarah shiver involuntary. The moon escaped the dark clouds and illuminated faintly the fields and the approaching campsite.

_Please tell me_

Star halted to a trot. The smell of some flowers mixed with the sweat and the breeze seemed to pull them away from the campsite.

_The Goblin King has many names. That is his least frightening one. One used on daily basis by those who didn't see him nor believe in him. He has a court. Made of silver and moonbeams, with four guards. Each guard so indescribable, creatures one of a kind. And a line of creatures, dead and alive, waiting to have an audition with him. Why, I do not know, perhaps because he has the power of the wish, and we fools wanted our dreams over silver platter. _

_I was there, and with a wish too. I wanted to find my love who was lost at sea's. I heard a whispered word that told me of him. I met a group of refugees who lost their homes in wars and famine. They took me to him, and we stood in line. For years, it seemed. _

_But there was one thing I didn't know. That he, the Goblin King liked to play, and for every wish came consequences. _

_Some go through the Labyrinth – Like you. Those people know him by the title of Goblin King, since it is the most popular way to meet him. But there are other trials and challenges, the forest of eternal darkness, where you have to live for three days. This is what happened to me. The magnitude of the fears that I saw was so enormous that I failed my challenge… And I suffered the consequences. _

_I returned to the beautiful court, where the Goblin King turned me into a horse, cursing me to live forever in this skin. _

Star halted more than twenty meters from the camp, while Sarah listened, frozen in bewilderment. Even the breeze stopped, as if feeling Sarah's shock and willing itself to halt in her cause.

_You were human?_

Star shook his head.

_I was a Faery. I was a prince. _

Sarah felt compassion flood her bloodstream with rapid waves as she hoped of the Horse. To turn a Fae _Prince _to a horse! How much power did the Goblin King have?

…_No power over me…_

Sarah turned to the horse and stared into his wide eyes, stroking his head with delicacy.

_I Want to help you._

She decided and the horse snorted.

_There is nothing you can do. I am a Fae. You are a mortal. You can't –_

_But I can! For my power is as strong as his, and my will as great! I released a ghost from his tortures tonight, and I want to help you as well! But tell me first what is your true name?_

The cursed horse turned from her.

_Elius was my name. Prince Elius. There is no way you could help me._

Sarah groaned.

_Well we could always try. Have a little faith. _

Elius shook his mane.

_I don't want to raise my hopes just to have them crushed. _

Sarah took a step towards the camp.

_I will think on how to release you. I have no ghost to enter me this time. Give me time. You will be free once more. _

Sarah walked carefully back to the campsite when she heard Elius last words.

_Be careful Sarah Williams. He is not patient. Nor is he forgiving. When he wants something, he always get's it. _

Sarah didn't have time to answer him, as he galloped away. Turning back to the campsite she whispered softly.

"Not this time"

* * *

The next morning, as it could be suspected was grey. The dark grey and heavy clouds loomed over the wetlands, with the sea reflecting the sky, in its color and heaviness. Sarah didn't get much sleep from the night before, her eyes were slightly puffed up, Her skin was sallow, and her movements slower than usual. It was the time when Sarah wouldn't do more than she had to, in her thoughts the image of a comfortable big bed would play over, and over, and over again.

On the contrary, Amelia, seemed relaxed and in a very good mood. With her squeaky voice, she ordered people about, packing up the camp so that they could move on. The next place would be Dundee, a town where Sarah knew would be nothing interesting found. This was a good place however to ask around the Goblin King, she decided. She had to know more about him that she knew right now. Even though he did have little power over her, no he didn't have ANY power over her, Sarah sill felt that it would be wise to get to know more on the topic of that creature which everyone seemed to fear yet no one could properly describe.

_An irrational fear _

The thought crossed her mind suddenly. But there was something to fear, if A Fae prince could be turned into a _horse_ Goblin King really did have enormous power. And Elius's last words really did frighten her.

… _When he wants something, he always get's it…_

Always get's it. Always. Did something like that happen before? Were there many victors of the Labyrinth? Or any victors of any challenge on that thought? There must have been, if he was there _before_ the Egyptians, than he had a lot of time to put people through challenges. And then he _always_ got what he wanted.

Sarah shook her head, as she looked around the campsite, trying to find any things she might have left. Seeing that there was nothing, she walked back to Star and patted him on his neck.

" Hey Sarah!" She turned to hear Tom, approaching her with a big smile on his face.

" We are going to civilization!" He sounded so excited and Sarah could understand it. It would be the first time that they would see free people in a very long time. She couldn't help it – _she _felt excited.

" Yeah, but hush or Amelia will hear you" She joked as Tom stopped before her, holding his horse on a tight leash.

" You look tired," He observed.

" The ground is very uncomfortable" She explained, without thinking.

Tom shifted towards her.

" Hmm… I could always borrow you my place. I slept like a baby" I wonder why, Sarah thought.

" No thanks. Its gonna be fine as it is" Tom nodded.

" Ok… Hey, are we pairs?" Sarah tilted her head, not understanding, until she remembered.

" You mean the groups in Dundee?"

" Yeah"

"Sure why not?" Tom's eyes glistened in happiness.

" Thanks Sarah… Cool… Oh look Amelia wants to say something. Let's see what sort of bullshit will she give us now" Sarah giggled and looked towards Amelia who indeed tried to catch attention of the campers.

" Alright" She started " We will visit Dundee today. Once we reach the town, you will split yourself in groups and you will have three hours to walk around. Here, I give you set of questions that you have to answer while you have three hours. You have to answer ALL the questions, if not the loser team washed after dinner" Sarah heard groans coming from the girls, while the boys and her remained silent. Another sub context in the game. It was a test to see how far they would be obedient towards Amelia. Would they sacrifice their freedom to do their bidding. Sarah felt sick at the thought of it, and from Tom's expression he felt he same.

" Alright, let's go!"

The Dundee wasn't as magnificent as London, or Edinburgh, but it had its charms. It resembled the great cities very much, from the grass cut short everywhere and had its vibrant green colours to the Old buildings were sprawled around the place, by the streets. It was nothing special, and felt wet for some reason but Sarah was still happy that she was there.

After leaving the horses in a stable outside the town, Tom and Sarah walked together into the town, while Paul was unfortunate enough as to get stuck with the girls, something that he would kill for later. But Sarah had a plan, and she needed as little people as possible.

Upon reaching the centre of the town, Sarah looked around for any market or anything old, where she could start her investigation. Tom, who kept the questions in his hand, looked at her with a knowing look.

" We are not going to fill the questions are we?"

Sarah turned to him with a quick smile.

" No" She sang.

" Uhm. You want to show them you disagree?"

" Yeah, partly. But there is something I am looking for, much more important than some stupid questions" Sarah walked towards one of the smaller streets and Tom followed.

" What are you looking for?" He asked, intrigued, as he watched Sarah lead them into the small marketplace.

" Information" She said simply, looking around the stalls. In one of the hundreds of stalls, there was an old woman, selling what looked like Celtic jewelry. She approached the woman decidedly, and Tom followed her.

Upon seeing approaching potential client, the old woman straightened up and placed a smile on her lips.

" Pretty, young lady come, come here! The most beautiful jewelry for the most beautiful princess!" Sarah stopped before the stall and looked down on the jewelry. There was everything, necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings and things that she didn't see before. She concentrated on the woman.

" Could you tell me a bit about the jewelry? They look handmade" The old woman nodded.

"They are. I made them myself" The heavy Scottish accent left Sarah slightly confused.

" Oh! You did…"

" Yes, and they have power in them, like this one! It show yer dreams!" Sarah paled as she saw a ring with a small crystal on it.

" It looks like the crystal a creature of great power possessed" The smile on the woman's face faded, as she took in the young girl.

" You mean the Elven King?" her voice turned to whisper " Ho do you know about him?" Something happened, everything seemed so cold all the sudden and strange cold wind rustled Sarah's hair.

" You are not a stranger to Celtic mythology young lady?"

" I believe that he is older than your religion. Or any religion for that matter" The woman frowned, thin wrinkles deepening.

" So is said young girl. You have seen him didn't you?"

Sara wasn't given time to answer.

" You are marked! Get out get out! Now, before his magic seeps into me as well!"

"But –"

" Get out , get out! Here have this necklace, it will help you on your way! But now leave! Lave Dundee, stop infecting it with Black magic! Get out get out!" Somehow a group of elders appeared around Tom and Sarah and pushed the pair away from the market and Sarah grasped the necklace the old woman offered, before she was shoved out on the alley away from the marketplace. Both Tom ad Sarah were escorted out of the town, and warned not to come back ever again.

" What the hell happened?! Is that even possible?" Tom's voice raised by an octave, as Sarah sat down on a large boulder, deep in thought. She looked down on the necklace, and admired the thin silver pendant. A circle, inside there were complex Celtic knots and designs, with a purple gem in the centre. She placed it on her neck, and sudden comfort and warmth spread around her body. She closed her eyes, and listened to Tom's tirade.

" This woman is clearly insane! And what will we do with the questions? We have to fill them out" Sarah stood up suddenly, and walked up to Tom, seeing something that unsettled her very much.

When the Tom's sister Samantha changed, Sarah could have sworn she had seen a green light reflecting in the girl's eyes whenether Amelia would speak. The same thing happened with Linda and finally Paul.

Tom was the only one left apart from her. And she preyed that the green light reflected in his eyes was only an optical illusion.

**AN: Alrighty, the chapter finished, I feel fulfilled. Never mind that I have a math test tomorrow, which I see in black. I decided that it was long enough since I updated last don't you agree?**

**Tell me what you think, and… OH do you see this box? You know, the one below the text? Yeah? No, not the one with favorites and following (Though use that too) I mean that enormous box, in which you WILL write a comment? Yes? Well, I don't want to push you or anything but… You know… But the box tells me it would like it very much if anyone would use it you know? **

**Saoirse**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

On the contrary to what Sarah feared, Amelia didn't seem to notice anything wrong, that is, until she saw the blank pages of the questionnaire. The instructor never learned why exactly the task was not done, but the two friends had the honour of cleaning the dishes that night.

As the group returned to the campsite outside of the Dundee town, Sarah sat down on the grass by the campsite and soon Tom joined her.

" Dinner will be ready in half an hour" He placed his hands behind him, and leaned against them as Sarah stared at the grey heavy clouds brewing above them. In the background she heard Amelia shouting orders with her squeaky, irritating voice, and in front of her – peace and solitude, broken by the boy beside her.

" Hmm. Do you smell that?" Sarah asked suddenly.

" Smell what?"

" Candy floss"

Tom looked at her with confusion quite evident in his eyes.

" Candy floss?"

Sarah didn't smile. Where did the candyfloss ever come from, mixing with the smell of burning tomato sauce, when there would be no candyfloss for tonight?

" Never mind"

Silence befallen around the pair. Sarah felt slightly uncomfortable being by Tom right now, something changed within him. Gone was this specific aura with which he emanated on the beginning of the camp, instead, it was replaced with this coldness, such as found in the lonely piece of steel, that, instead of absorbing warmth, as it should do by all rights, it stretched the coldness further on, passing it on to the next person, almost like tentacles that reach out for their next prey.

Sarah thought over everything that happened, and looked down to see the necklace resting on her neck, between her breasts. It had a long, silver strand that lowered the beautiful silver pendant down her chest. The outer wall was a circle, and now when Sarah inspected it closer, she could spot something shining, was that -?

" Tom, are those diamonds?" She asked her companion who sat next to her quietly, all the while observing her.

He leaned closer, inspecting the thin thread of sparkling rocks, which seemed to glow in the _shade_.

" I don't know. I am not an expert on rocks," He said with a strained smile.

" They're beautiful. I wonder what this pendant is for"

"For?"

Sarah rolled her eyes.

" See the Celtic patterns? They usually mean something, some ward off evil spirits, over give you physical strength. Of course, you need to know _how _to use them first to receive the effects. That is why not many people actually get anything more out of the Celtic jewellery than pretty ornament," Sarah explained patiently.

" You seem to know a lot about this things"

" I am simply interested"

There was a beat of silence.

" Did you have any boyfriends before?"

Sarah tilted her head surprised by the random question.

" No" She answered carefully, a seed of suspicion already planted in her mind.

" Oh"

Not again.

" Why?"

" You're just… an amazing girl you know? It would make sense if you were… you know… taken" Sarah narrowed her eyes.

" Taken?" She said with a low voice that sent thrills down Tom's spine.

" Well you know –"

"Tom, you should know right here, right now, you are talking with a feminist. "taken"? How can you say this, as if I were some sort of object to possess? I belong to no one, and will continue being so until the end of my days. If you want something to possess, buy yourself a poodle"

Tom paled and opened his mouth in protest.

" I didn't mean –"

Sarah interrupted him.

" I don't care. Don't you ever say anything like that ever again,"

With that she stood up and walked away from her friend, who could do nothing but stare with awe at the strength of the girl.

* * *

Sarah marched angrily away from the camp, ignoring calls for the dinner. Seething, she trailed a small stream finally taking a seat on one of the larger boulders, almost immediately feeling the coolness coming from the rock. Everything seemed cold around her, people, nature. What would she do about it?

Hugging one of her legs while the second one stretched out loose, She placed her chin upon the top of her knee and gazed down at the flowing water.

" Taken" She snorted, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

Sarah has always been a person, who became very aggressive with her opinions. Whether it was about the relationships between man and woman, or abortion, anyone who rivalled her opinion would get literally fried from the offenses she would dart in every direction.

After solving the Labyrinth, and her encounter with the Goblin King, Sarah changed much about her perspective on men. She found men exactly like the Goblin King, possessive, lusting for more, with only one thing in their heads. To own a girl. No, two things. To own a girl, and sex. Some men seemed to show it without any scruples, like Jareth, others were more… like Tom. But in the end they all wanted the same thing.

" Men"

" I see only one man"

Sarah sprang to her feet, looking around after the sudden voice. With irritation she saw that there was no one around.

" Goblin King" She growled.

" Sweet Sarah" The voice responded.

" Go away"

There was no response for a second or two.

" Little Sarah solved a puzzle,

losing something at the castle.

Years have passed, days are gone,

little Sarah is little no more.

Now the time for payment comes,

When she loses one more time"

Sarah listened with sick horror, as the wind passed on the words, and the silence afterwards became so loud, so unbearable.

Quickly, with long steps, Sarah went back to the camp, back for her punishment, with the final words of the song ringing on and on in her head.

_When she loses one more time_.

* * *

Two days passed since the incident on the river. Nothing happened through those two days, Tom begged her for forgiveness, which was, quite frankly, unlike his character at all. From the days Sarah spent with him, she learned he wasn't one to beg, a stubborn man with quick wit he was. All the same, she did forgive him, feeling that something had to be done with the camp. It was time to finish with the evil it created and if no one did what had to be done, she would.

* * *

The group travelled North the country, riding towards the Loch ness lake. With each day it seemed to get colder and colder, the weather worsened visibly. But it wasn't the weather and wind that worsened Sarah's mood, it was the realization how quickly her friend slipped through her fingers, each day growing further and further away from her, until he joined with the rest of the campers and Sarah was left alone. Something happened, something that Sarah couldn't explain, and all the campers turned away from her, would speak a word or two at most, while Amelia looked at the situation with a wide smile on her face. The instructor seemed to hate Sarah with all her heart, and Sarah returned the feeling, but the barricade that grew between Sarah and the rest of the group became a torture. It was one thing to be alone, to that Sarah was used to. But to be alone, when there are people in whom she trusted, who turn away from her, that sent such unimaginable pain, indescribable in many ways, always changing, from heart aches to sudden numbness. Only Tom still fought against the camp in some way, seemed to be a bridge between her and the rest of the camp. But the closer they got to the big lake the more the bridge seemed to crumble.

While riding on the Blackstar, Sarah had a lot of time to think. Recalling all the past events, she tried to come up with some pattern, something that would save her from the future. She knew what her goals were, to destroy the camp, help Blackstar, defeat Jareth…

_Sometimes the way forward is the way back _

But are they? America, Karen, Ghost, horse owners, Goblin King, Ghost, Selkie, Blackstar, Toby…

_Don't give in._

_How does your brother fare –_

_- you should know by now…_

Toby. The sweet little boy, who grew ill just after she completed the Labyrinth…

_But tell me, precious Sarah, do you feel this... Tinge of magic in the air?_

Magic. Was that the key to everything?

_You know I love Scotland - after all, I have so much more power here than in any other land…_

Scotland. Population, 5,295,000 people. Capital. Edinburgh.

Land of magic.

… _Do you feel this – Tinge of magic…_

Was it all just a coincidence? That there was no space in any camp but the one to Scotland, her meeting with the Goblin King on the first night, meetings with magical creatures, Blackstar… How could she see so much on one trip? This wasn't natural, this wasn't _normal_, something was wrong, and Sarah made a mistake somewhere on the way.

And the Beltane night was coming.

It was coming on big, swift legs taking huge leaps in time. Because Beltane night would be tomorrow. And the camp would reach Loch Ness Lake by the afternoon.

Sarah shivered at the thought.

* * *

The group stopped for rest in Pitlorchy, a small village that seemed so empty, like a haunted village and yet again the question why did Amelia chose this particular town came to Sarah's mind. The town was by a river Tummel and Tay forest park. The campers decided to rest on the boarder between the town and the forest, and while the girls with Amelia went to the shop for grocery shopping, the men started to organise the campsite, Sarah turned towards the forest and quietly disappeared between the trees, _willing_ herself not to be seen by anyone.

Luck was on her side, and soon the yells from the campsite quietened down, until they completely disappeared, and all that Sarah was left with was the smell of the moist grass tickling her nostrils, sound of birds humming around, and the dim sight of the tall trees.

It's a good place to think, Sarah decided, as she walked up to one of the trees, and leaned against it, momentarily closing her eyes and inhaling cold air. In and out. In and out.

For two years, Sarah lived in fear that police would barge in and take Toby away, that their house would go down and they would become homeless, that universities would close down and she would be uneducated, that she would be robbed, so many things that happened after _that_ night. Could it be that the turn for worse had something to do with _her_? That would explain the growing paranoia that extended for months after the Labyrinth, men and women staring after her, some in awe some with distaste. She thought that it was after her performance in the local theatre, where she played the main role of Juliet in the Romeo and Juliet, but now that she thought about it, now that she remembered some of the faces, the _unfamiliar _faces, something snapped. Those people they weren't local, at least not all of them. But why would _she_ be the cause of anything.

" Troubled traveller, you are late" Sarah turned to face the unfamiliar voice and froze.

In front of her was a sight found only in books.

" Are you a –"

"Centaur? Yes I would think so," Said the half horse- half human with a chuckle.

Sarah gaped at the Centaur in front of her. The sharp-featured face with dazzling blue eyes, muscular torso, and the heavy hooves along with swishing black tail and wavy black hair left her breathless, never had she seen something so –

" Beautiful" The centaur sighted, his eyes on her.

Sarah blinked and tilted slightly her head.

" What is?" She asked curiously.

" Your power"

Sarah gaped, taken aback.

" I beg your pardon?"

The centaur laughed at that his eyes shining with amusement.

" You wield great power, you should learn to use it before your final battle" His face grew serious all the sudden and Sarah felt a shiver descending down her spine.

" Battle?" Her voice went higher than she wished it to be.

" Goblin King is waiting for you, he has waited for a long time, far longer than you live. He saw you once in one of his crystals and fell in awe with the mere image of you. When you were born he felt you, and when you beaten his Labyrinth he fell in love with you. You are in a mortal danger crusader, and the stars don't look at you with optimism" The centaur spoke slowly, with a very deep voice, and Sarah felt enchanted listening to him.

" What is this power you speak of?"

The centaur took a step forward, but Sarah stayed still, she didn't feel any danger as of yet.

" I cannot tell. It is for you to find out. But think about this – have things happened, people swayed to do what you wised for? Did they change?"

Sarah frowned but decided to leave the topic. Indeed there were times when things happened just as she wished them to. Shaking her head, she concentrated on the magical creature.

" Why does he want me to speak his name?" She voiced the question that nurtured her for days.

The centaur took a longer moment before answering.

" To name an object is to give him life, an identity, _value_"

" And what is your name?"

" Lorenzo"

Sarah measured him with a calculating look, her eyes thoughtful.

" Why are you telling me all this?"

Lorenzo took a step towards her, his face tight, and eyes shining with some unknown emotion.

" You cannot leave. You are the key to stabilize the whole world, you decide whether we live in harmony or not –"

"We have a war in my country! How am I stabilizing anything? In fact everything started –"

"When you tasted the magic for the first time" Lorenzo interrupted her and Sarah gaped.

" The Labyrinth…"

" Yes. You don't know much about yourself do you?"

Sarah felt anger course around her body with a sudden wave.

" My name is Sarah Williams! I am seventeen and I have a brother called Toby, Father called Robert Williams and mother Linda Williams! My father remarried to a woman named Karen Williams and my brother is autistic. I am in Scotland running away from a psychopath, and I am talking to a centaur! That is all I need to know, isn't it?!" Sarah's flamed face countered Lorenzo's cool features as he took her in.

" Do you know that you are not a human?" He asked finally, with his cool voice. Sarah silenced.

Shock. Surprise. Denial. Disbelief.

" I am a human being"

" No you are not" Lorenzo disagreed calmly.

" So tell me, what _exactly_ am I?" Sarah asked with sharpening coldness, and a venom she didn't know she possessed.

" You're… everything"

Sarah laughed.

" Everything?"

" Everything locked up in human body. Magic is leaking out of you, every creature can feel it" Sarah turned away from the centaur.

" Why me?"

" The stars don't say. It's not from me you will hear the answer to this question, if you hear it at all" Sarah sat down on the ground against the bark of the tree, ignoring the dampness under her weight.

" I don't want to meet him," She whispered, and sudden numbness enveloped her body, starting from the toes in her feet, ascending like an escaping deer.

" You will have to. He seeks you and he always has what he wants. If you destroy him…"

"But that's Goblin King we're talking about!" Sarah looked at the centaur with wide eyes, hugging herself with her hands, filling the chill from the wind and the wet ground.

" You bested him once"

" Well, I don't have the same motivation" She argued.

" If you lose, he will have you. And Sarah, he is evil in itself, Goblin Kingdom? Its' nothing compared to his real kingdom. He possesses time and stars, manipulates creatures and life, travels around the worlds giving the final verdicts on life" Sarah shook her head.

"Sounds like someone very powerful. I could just run away…"

" Back to America? It is _you_, who made things as they are right now in your country. It is your anger and frustrations that created so much pain and terror" Lorenzo advanced on Sarah, who stood up quickly and retreated.

" What?"

" You have the power to finish everything that is wrong, all you have to do is defeat Goblin King and calm yourself DOWN" He gripped her arms, as she started to fight her way out of it.

" Let me go! This is **not** making me calm!" The winds increased suddenly and the trees and grass swayed around the pair, smell of flowers mixed with the wet grass.

" Refrain yourself!" Lorenzo's cool voice stopped Sarah in her tracks. She took a deep breath, then another one, and slowly, the wind seemed to die out, until everything returned to normal.

"That" Lorenzo pointed out " Is how you can end your troubles. Keep calm. Your powers are lashing out after so many years of being kept quiet" Sarah kept her eyes averted from the centaur, her mind twisted in a bunch of cotton strings, wired up all other the place. She just…

" You have to go" Lorenzo pushed her away from him, and she stumbled " You have to prepare yourself. Tomorrow is the Beltane night, and he is the strongest. Now go" Sarah looked around, surprised to see herself alone in the forest.

And there are still so many questions unanswered.

* * *

Making her way back to the camp, Sarah saw everyone sitting by the bonfire, laughing. They didn't even seem to notice she was gone, and that sent a pang of pain in her chest. Remembering the wind she made just a minute ago, she took a deep breath, calming down her senses, before walking to the Blackstar.

_Elius_

She whispered in her mind, and the horse was soon by her side.

_Sarah don't do it._

He seemed to read her mind, but Sarah shook her head and smiled sadly.

_I will meet with Goblin King tomorrow and I will fight him. And after I win, I will free you. I promise you. _

Elius shook his mane, his eyes glittering with fear.

_No, he will be strongest tomorrow night –_

_As I will be_

She interrupted him, her mind already set.

_There are things you don't know about Goblin King…_

Sarah turned towards him.

_Yes I know, but there are things I didn't know about **myself** either! I can't run any longer, I don't want to spend my life in hiding. _

Elius stared into her eyes for a moment before whispering.

_Then remember this. The Goblin King is powered by feelings and **power**. Whatever you do you have to refrain yourself from using your magic. He will not be destroyed by something he is made up **of. **You have to use your wit._

Sarah stared, dazzled. No magic? True, she wasn't very good in magic, but that was the only thing she had…

_I will think about it tonight. I think you should have some rest though. We were riding long distance today and I have a feeling you will need more of it tomorrow. _

Elius hesitated only a minute, before turning back and trotting back to the rest of the horses. Sarah was left alone but that was just as it had to be.

* * *

On the next morning, Sarah woke up with dread in her heart. Looking up into the sky, she saw dark, very heavy clouds rolling about, a barricade between the sun and the Earth.

" What a dreadful weather" Sarah heard Tom say, but she didn't turn her horse to meet him.

" Yes…"

" What's happening? You look… down" Sarah felt pity for Tom. She knew that she ignited feelings in him for her, but the trace of Amelia was already encoded in his eyes, and Sarah could stand to look at him without thinking about the effect the camp had on the people. Why didn't they fight?

" Bad weather" She said dully.

" How Polish" Tom laughed, trying to make a joke " Only Polish people say their behaviour is affected by the weather"

"Really?" Sarah tried to sound interested.

" That's what I've heard"

Sarah finally turned towards Tom, who by now was on his Alustair as well, and quickly scanned how the rest of the camp was doing. The girls were already on their horses, and only Amelia was still on the ground, saying something. Sarah couldn't hear.

" Sarah, what's wrong?" Tom asked once more.

" Its Beltane tonight, did you know that?" Sarah asked suddenly.

Tom frowned, and pulled his horse tighter when Alustair took a step forward.

" What's Beltane?"

"It's well… It's a Sex celebration. It's a Celtic tradition" Sarah murmured, trying not to feel embarrassed.

" Sex celebration? Certainly sounds interesting" Tom winked at her.

" Oh you are such a child!" Sarah snorted and turned away from him.

" I am sorry, wait, Sarah talk to me! How is this Beltane have anything to do with you?"

Sarah turned back to him.

" Who ever told you it had anything to do with Beltane?" She asked with sudden calmness, that Tom found thousands times more terrifying than her anger.

" No one, I just assumed –"

" I am not afraid with Beltane, its what comes with it" Sarah turned away from Tom and rode away from him. She couldn't be distracted. Not today.

* * *

Everything seemed so dead to Sarah. The wind, the trees, even he occasional animals that she found lurking in the shadows of the nature's leaves. And this unbearable tension, felt by everyone, even by the most ignorant person out of the whole group – Amelia. But instead of behaving like everyone else, being in sour mood, she seemed to feed off that tension, her face light and all in smiles. As if she knew what would happen tonight, but how could she? She was just a mortal, a stupid, ignorant mortal?

The journey passed quickly, but Sarah remembered every second of it. Every blow of the wind, every part of the landscape, every shiver of dread. When the camp reached the edge of the Loch Ness lake, Sarah stopped Elius and gazed on the still surface of the water for minutes, that seemed to stretch into infinity. With the forest behind her and the lake in front, Sarah felt that this was the place where something big would happen soon, and as everyone dropped of their horses, Sarah stayed on, trying to grasp the last warmth she would feel for long hours.

The sun was setting.

**AN: Okay so things are going to be like this. There are going to be three more chapters before I finish the story and the next will be VERY long and will have Jareth actually appearing! My favourite kind of a scene, I don't know how about you, but feel free to tell me J** **I love to chat. This chapter is dedicated to **Fantasymyownworldofhearts **Who sent me the most motivating reviews and I still smile when I read them. **

**This has been a pretty short chapter, but worry not, next one will be terribly long. **

**So, How did you like this chapter? It was a bit dry, I agree, but it had to be like that so bear with me. **

**Cheers,**

**Saoirse. **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The first thing that seemed to change, was the slow breathing of the camp. Sarah lay on the ground, the feeling of coldness enveloping her from every side. The full moon lighted the lake and the surrounding forest, but the beautiful view changed with the growing mist, that oozed slowly out of the forest on the other side of the lake towards the camp.

" Tom" She whispered to the boy, who lay next to her, with his mouth slightly open, dark blonde tresses falling over his eyes, curled up into a protective ball.

" Tom!" She touched his shoulder, gripping it lightly and shook him. The boy didn't wake, or even move.

She frowned. Something wasn't right.

Sarah let him be, and looked around. Far, far in the distance, she saw light, a bonfire, but no sound reached her. The utter silence made her shiver, as she stood up. Her bare feet, sensitive against the cold and wet grass, took a step towards the forest. Something seemed to call her, urge her to go into the forest.

For the final battle.

_He will not be destroyed by something he is made up __**of. **_

How will she defeat him? Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't come. She would go and he wouldn't come. Perhaps he didn't think that she was enough of a cause to fight for. Perhaps –

Crack.

A twig broke under her foot, a pang of pain travelled up her leg.

Sarah turned, to walk on, the campsite behind her, the forest stretching far before her, as well as the deep and large lake, minding her feet. Why didn't she take shoes?

She continued on.

CRACK!

She turned back, swiftly, heart racing against her chest! This wasn't her! Something moved there, behind, to the side, to the left, no, no to the right, its moving its coming!

Silence.

Sarah exhaled a long breath, the only noise in the bright field. Then, she frowned. No wind, no twigs snatching, no rustling of the leaves, nothing. The moon illuminated the circular meadow, highlighting tips of the grass and flowers. No one around, and the mist cut her off from the camp, somewhere behind the forest she passed. What sort of mist would behave like this… No one around, with no sound, only smell of the night, the damp grass, dying and dead leaves sprawled around the ground, and the tension tying the meadow together…

" _Sarah" _She turned, swiftly, almost automatically.

No one around…

"_Sa-rah, time is up, little princess gone to HIDE?" _

No one…

" _Are you ready little Sa –"_

No!

" Sarah"

She felt something warm, behind her, embracing her. So nice, so warm, against the cold, against solitude, against everything that built up over the weeks, against –

" Let me _go" _She pushed her way out of the comfort.

It was Goblin King. Her enemy. The one who…

" Precious thing. How I longed for this moment" She heard a hot whisper, and the shivers that run over her body. She felt his hands tight around her stomach and sudden anger simply flared out of her.

" I say it again let me-"

" Hush, hush" He twirled her around and pulled her in a clenched clasp against him. Sarah looked up into his eyes, her eyes razor sharp, feeling his body, warm but somehow unpleasant, against her own. Quivering sensations running through her body.

" Stop –"

Interrupted, again, The Goblin King lowered his face to hers and pulled her into a kiss. Shocked, Sarah gave in to her instincts, and bit the man –

"Argh!" The King yelped and broke the kiss, droplets of his blood flowing down his chin. His eyes were wild then, but not in fear. Sarah couldn't help but feel a pang of fear in her heart.

" Do **not **do that ever again. I feel- "

The King still held her to him, and soon his eyes shone with madness, and his lips twisted into a wicked snarl, interrupting her.

" My dearest _Sarah_" He whispered, with such intensity that – " That was _hardly_ a nice thing to do. How shall we punish you?"

She fought in his arms.

" Let me go –"

" No my little bird. Hmm, maybe not bird. Not even the greatest of all birds could be compared to your bare foot. Tell me dearest, are you ready?" The way his eyes glistened halted Sarah in her turmoil.

" The truth?"

" Aye. Tis known truth bares grander burn than lies my lady" He mocked her, she could see. But what truth could he mean?

" And what is that truth you speak off?" She whispered, only for him to hear.

The Goblin King looked at her carefully, satisfied having her in his arms, like she ought to a long time ago, feeling her warmth and her emotions flowing from her to him., her body still.

"Why," He started, his tone almost… wondering, " That you have been born and sold to become my wife!"

This was enough! Sarah began to fight against him, her arms twisting under his trying to escape his tight grip.

" You're mad! Who would sell _me?_ My Father? My… mother?" She stopped suddenly when her fight was in naught.

" Don't be absurd. There is only one thing that can sell someone to me. Not your parents, to be sure. All those stories of parents wishing away their child away. What nonsense!" Sarah didn't understand. If not the parents, there was nothing that could sell her – Wait! She wasn't going to think like that! She was free, not some possession to be placed on a shelf just because _Goblin King_ said so!

" And tell me" She spoke with a harsh edge in her voice, her tone much lower that normally. Goblin King seemed to be amused by it " Whom _exactly _do you claim to have sold me to _you"_

"I am sure you will meet her later. I want her to meet my bride. Bride… What a beautiful word. So fresh, so _new_. You shall be my bride for all eternity, did you know that?" Again mocking.

Sarah gritted her teeth.

" What she? Your mother?"

" Some call her that"

" Some? Yet I don't know anything about you!"

Goblin King smiled at that.

" I am not recorded in the books… literally. But I have been in them and will be there until the end of time"

Sarah frowned. That wasn't possible! She searched every book in the town after she solved the labyrinth and there was nothing –

" Besides, you will have an eternity to get to know me. As I will you. Just imagine, our palace between the stars, just you, me, and our bunch of little children!" She gasped

" You will see soon enough my darling. My dream" He whispered into her ear hotly, making her shiver. He smiled.

" I hate you"

" Perfect. Hatred is very similar to love. For, you _will _love me, I have seen this and so will you" A tear mad its way on Sarah's cheek.

" I don't want to have children. Especially with you. Either way I _cannot_ have them. I f that is really what you want, then I suggest" green eyes opened with strength he didn't see before " find someone else. Someone's who's willing, someone who _can –"_

" My poor dear, you cannot have children with anyone **but** me. And, why ever would I look for anybody else, when I found my perfect partner, my Queen, my lover, my _Wife_! That's absurd –"

" I don't want children! Not with you, not with anyone else! I want a career I want to _do_ something. I don't need children!" his eyes narrowed, a frown placed itself on his features.

" Is this how you see our children?"

" There is no 'our children' Ja- Goblin King! There never will be. You forget, that I still haven't lost, and you haven't won" She felt something sharp digging into her skin – the King's fingernails.

" How dare you" he whispered with such coldness that it made her _shiver_ " insult both me and yourself. Woman's greatest duty is to bare children! Every woman knows this" Sarah raised her chin defiantly.

" Well then, those _women_ are shallow and stupid" She bit " They are the ones who are important to nobody but few people. They don't help much and on the whole are useless- "

" If that is your view on this matter, I am sorry to hear it. For _you_ will be one of those women, and know that _I _appreciate those who perform their duties _correctly_" Sarah huffed.

" Great, we are in understanding! I don't want you, you don't want me, now we can part and never look at each other's faces _again_" Sarah turned and managed to escape his grip. She took a step and then another, and felt relief when she wasn't stopped until –

" And where, are _you _going?" She turned.

" Someone had to take the first step. _I _ am going back to the camp" She turned once more only to bump into his chest as she felt his arms snake around her once more.

_He definitely likes to cuddle_

She thought with anger.

" What?"

" You didn't think I would let you go now did you?"

" I had hopes yes. That's what any _reasonable_ man would do!" She bit back and saw how his face clouded up once more.

" We are going back now. I've had enough of your ill behavior and its time for a punishment"

Sarah closed her eyes, her mind thinking faster than the speed of light.

" Wait!" She gasped out as she felt his lips on her neck. Somehow, he halted.

" You like games don't you?" Sarah coaxed quietly. His sparkling eyes turned down to hers " Let's have one now"

" I don't think I like this idea, my beautiful dream," He said, though his sparkling eyes seemed to say something else.

" I think you do. You have a whole night here, don't you?"

He stilled, his muscles digging into her flesh.

" What type of game?"

Sarah hesitated.

" A game of wit, cunning and running"

She could feel, by the movement of the cold air and blond hair moving, that the Goblin King tilted his head slightly, slowly.

" A game you say" He whispered, thoughtful. His hands gripped her tighter.

…_The fact is we never touch anything. Why Miss Williams?_

_Uhm, because the atoms are largely made out of nothing sir?_

_Yes, that's right.  
_

Maybe Jareth wasn't touching her, but it certainly _did_ feel like he was. Physics works in such weird terms…

" Yes, a game. I can… I can solve your labyrinth once more!" the Goblin King laughed at that, mirth in his eyes. Sharp teeth glistened in the moonlight.

" No… I have a much better game for us. It is Beltane after all isn't it? Why don't we play a game… in its honor?" Slowly, all the color that Sarah had left on her face, dissipated. Did he mean…

" And what would the rules be?"

He looked down at her thoughtfully.

" If you end up a virgin you were at the beginning of this _fine_ night" Sarah blushed fiercely " you will be free of me… forever. However, if something…. Happens. You are mine" Sarah raised her chin up defiantly, her eyes ablaze.

" My rules. You are not to use magic" She spat to him. For a moment she could see a flicker of anger in his features, whether because her tone was quite disrespectful and demanding, or for some other reason she didn't know.

" It wouldn't be fair if you were to use magic while I can't now would it?"

" I cannot not use my magic, for I _am _magic" He growled lightly " But I promise not to use my magic _against _you" The girl narrowed her dark eyes.

" You cannot sway me, enchant me, poison me, kidnap me, kill me-"

" I would never kill you my love"

" – Set magical traps on me, use your powers to change my mind, _force me_ or anything that vaguely resembles any of the points, before we finish our game"

" Fine. However, dearest you may not use magic either. If I feel even a speck of your magic, this entitles me to use my own. And when I win, you will give yourself to me freely, no fighting"

" How can I never use something I have no control over?! And I will never stop fighting! I can't" She raised her voice. It trembled.

"This is none of my concern. You like to play _fair_ Sarah. Here are the consequences" His voice was so cold. He continued.

" Furthermore, you will change into your original image"

That stopped her mind flowing.

" What?"

He smiled.

" I know who you are _Sarah_" He teased her ear as his hands moved over her breasts and down to her hips.

" I really don't know what you mean" She whispered, the deafening silence from around them wounded her ears.

" You will. I swear to you" He kissed her behind her ear " You will know _everything_" Sarah felt hot and suddenly struggled more than ever to get out of his embrace. This time he let her.

" Run little rabbit, run. We have whole night after all"

She turned and ran.

She heard screams, far away at first. Not the blood curdling screams that she heard once in the horror movies. This were screams of joy, of _fun_.

_How can anyone have fun right now? _

Sarah ran, all pain she would have felt normally in her feet gone. Her body was hot, as if burning coals were placed in her, her eyes dilated, and she could have sworn she saw everything. Every movement of single leaves, every star on the star, every tree in the distance. She ran and ran and ran and ran, ran even more, as she passed by more and more trees, the laughter and screams and _moans_ echoed around her. She could see red spots running around, people, all pained in red. She halted slightly, staring down at two spots lying on the ground and making some weird noises – Another two spots touching each other by a tree – one spot running from another one…

The Beltane. It has begun.

Sarah took another step, suddenly aware that something wasn't right. She looked down at herself, and saw herself in a silk dress, a beautiful, bloody red dress. It hugged her breasts, stomach and hips, and snaked down three quarters of her hands. The skirt flowed down freely to the ground. Yet her skin remained pale and her hair black as the surrounding night.

She smelt smoke. It was distant and yet close. Sarah passed more figures, some dancing, some on the ground like animals, producing noises unheard in Sarah's short life. This must be it. Sex.

She frowned as she gazed down on the couple. The woman was leaning against the tree, while the man seemed to _roam_ her with his hands. The woman, al in bloody red, would moan and whimper, her eyes closed and her hair stuck in thick strands by sweat. They smelled. Both of them. And they weren't people anymore. Now they were animals.

Sarah passed the couple and in the distance she could see the fire.

Her heart beat frantically, indescribable. She could feel hot shivers ran throughout her body, and felt her feet suddenly grow cold, then warm again. She was terrified.

" Hello pretty lady. Nice dress" Sarah turned, her skirt swishing, and looked up at a handsome man. The night distorted some of his sharp features, she couldn't see his eyes, yet his body was muscular, and attractive…

" Will you be my pair?" He asked her, _much_ too close for her liking.

" I – no!"

" Pretty lady –"

" MY lady said no. Go away. She is mine" A cold voice interrupted him. Sarah stiffened, knowing who stood behind her. She felt his arms snake around her, but didn't utter a word.

" I found her first!" The handsome man argued, looking over Sarah's shoulder. Something rose in Sarah, and with odd joy she knew it was anger. How dare he treat her like some slut!

" I doubt that. She was mine since she finished fifteen years. Now go. Or suffer the consequences" The low growl next to Sarah's ear made her shiver once more and her legs felt weak. Keep standing!

The man stepped back. Then turned his back on Sarah and the Goblin King. The girl felt herself being forced to twirl and suddenly her face landed on the Goblin King's shoulder. His arms gripped her so tightly that it –

" I will have to send him a few nightmares for that" She heard him murmur.

" What nightmares? Don't you dare! And how _dare _you talk about me like some sort of possession-"

" A beautiful possession"

" – And how dare you spy on me since I was fifteen?!"

" What made you think" His voice was rough and warm at the same time " that I found you when you were fifteen years old?" Sarah's mouth popped open to retort, but then she found herself-

" I found you the second you were _born_. I always sense your rebirths but this time, you grew into a beautiful female, and the time has come for us to be joined" She stared at him uncomprehending "My mother told me of you and even told me some of my own future. Time is a very dangerous thing you have to understand. Likes to trick all the creatures, not just humans"

" Let me go! You're _forcing _me. That is against the rules!" The Goblin King brought his sharp face closer to hers, his hot breath imprinting on her right cheek, blonde hair tingling her skin at the points they touched.

" But are you really _forced_? My dear, sweet, I know what your heart is. I know what it wants. You shine like the biggest and strongest of all stars. Everyone will hail your glory, and your empathy for others" Sarah half closed her eyes while he spoke something in her opening to him. Se knew she was being swayed by beautiful words, but the feeling it gave her – "You belong with me, my little dream, let me have you" Her eyes shot open, and she pushed him away.

" Why can't you _understand?_ I am not something to be _won_!"

" But you are" He moved even closer, their bodies practically joined together. She had to make him think about something else, anything, just so he could leave her…

" You said- you _laughed _when you talked about my parents. Yet _I _wished away my brother!" so many questions unanswered.

" What day did you wish your brother away, dearest?" That stopped her.

" How should I remember? It was two years ago!"

The Goblin King shook his head.

" I will enlighten you. You wished your brother away on the 31st of July" He looked down at her expectantly, yet she remained unmoved.

"So?"

" It was the night of Lughnasadh" She frowned.

"Lughnasadh?" The Goblin King sighed at her lack of knowledge, and looked down on her feet. They were bloodied and dirty.

" The celebration of harvest season. One of those little times I can take away people to the other side. There is always one person who wishes somebody away on that night. What a surprise it had been for me, my Sarah, to see that it was_ you_ out of all people who would cross me in a challenge, an unbeatable challenge"

" But…"

" My dearest Sarah, it was destiny herself who made you spill out the fated words. With them you sealed not only your fate but that of your brother too"

" Toby! What have you done to him? You monster –"

Sarah tried to hit him, bite him, scratch him, anything that could hurt him. However it was Goblin King she was against, not some mortal boy.

He gripped her hands in an iron fists, pushing her to the ground. In a blink of an eye she was laying on the bare ground, twigs and leaves sticking into her back and bottom, and the Goblin King lay atop of her.

" You have done it to him, not I. You see, I made a rule. Unknown to anyone but me and my mother. No one has ever solved the Labyrinth, that's why you haven't heard of it" Sarah shuddered.

" Heard of what?" A soft whisper on trembling legs.

" In the case where runner, that means you my dear, wins, however unlikely it is, the wished away will be crippled for the rest of his or her life, coming back to normal only when the runner is nearby" Sarah's eyes bulged out, and suddenly she felt herself hyperventilating. Was it all her fault? Her little brother, and innocent babe who was scarred till the end of his days?

" But I was around with Karen and dad and Toby remained as he…. Became" She swallowed loudly and her heart beat like a drum, thump thump thump thump.

" You like Physics don't you Sarah? Well what happens when an object of a certain mass collides with an object with equal mass?" Sarah turned away her head.

" They bounce off exerting the same force on each other" She could hear him smile.

" Yes. Your force collided with the force of your parents meeting on Toby. He remained the same Autistic boy" Sarah shook her head.

" That's not possible! Even if your theory is correct, If my… influence didn't work on him than so would the influence of my parents! He would behave normally!" She gazed into his eyes, challenging. The Goblin King on the other hand smirked, and something flashed in his eyes, something akin to pride.

" The poor boy was stuck in the middle. He was half autistic, half normal. It was you who failed to see his normal side. But it was there all the same" She closed her eyes, smelling smoke around them, and hearing muffled moans, sobs and laughter among other noises. However, when she looked around there was no one.

" Help him"

Her demand was soft, and a silver tear popped out of her left eye. The Goblin King gripped her tighter, and she felt every part of him sticking to her.

" And what will you give me for that favor Sarah?" He teased, his right hand entwined around her bust, while the other buried in her long black tresses " Will you give me yourself?"

Sarah stopped breathing.

" I can't" she whispered her head down in shame. He was asking her so much!

" Well then, Little Toby will stay like that till the end of his days" He spoke with such conviction, it made Sarah's heart sink.

" Wait" She spoke softly, her mind already formulating a plan " If I win the challenge of ours, you will let me go. But you will let Toby go too, and become normal like others" Jareth tilted his head, looking down on her.

" You are very close to losing now Sarah. Why would I raise the bars for myself –" Sarah interrupted him, her mouth on his, drawing him into a passionate kiss. He quickly took over, demanding with his tongue for her to open up herself to him, and she complied. His tongue slid into her mouth and roamed her, as his hands moved about her.

Sarah found it very difficult to end, and with some effort…

" Please" She rasped out against his lips, pulling away from him. Her body felt hot, and every place his hands touched itched slightly " please spare my brother" He rested his forehead against hers and stared down into her eyes.

" As you wish my sweet-" Sarah took a swing of her leg and with a swiishhhhh she released herself from the Goblin King, hitting him between his legs. She pushed him away and jumped up, pumped with adrenaline.

" Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me" She said with a smirk, looking down on the howling King " I have a challenge to win" And she ran, leaving the Goblin King behind on the ground, his face distorted in anger.

" You have no idea what evil you unleashed _dearest_"

Sarah was exhausted. She ran and ran, her throat dry as the desert stones, her body thick with sweat. Her dress stuck to her body, making her curves more visible. She passed many people by, all were at some stage of a… moment.

She only stopped when she reached the grand fire. It was simply enormous at least eight meters tall. Around it, red figures danced around, running around and around and around. The mere observation of their actions made Sarah dizzy. She passed some people, a man or two touched her bottom and would ask her huskily whether she would like to join them. Then it hit her. She was the only one dressed. Every person, man and woman, were painted red, leaving their hair natural. She moved quicker, and felt fear. Not from the Goblin King, not now. There was a bigger threat than him right now. She could lose at any moment. She couldn't lose. She had to save Toby and herself, she had to come back to her home and straighten everything she knotted up. She had to help other people. She –

She tripped.

She fell to the ground, her skin peeling off on her palms.

Her throat burned, her feet ached. She felt dizzy, burning hot. She wanted to sleep. Just for a second. Just –

**AN: Hi there, this chapter took me quite a lot of time to do, but I hope that you liked it. I **_**think**_** I do.**

**Anyway, The whole complex truth will be mainly revealed in the next chapter, but please ask me questions. Questions on how, why, where and what. **

**Oh and by the by, the Physics moments are real. I just finished talking about atomic and nuclear physics, and on the first lesson we learned that we touch nothing because atoms are made majorly out of nothing, so things like sofa or chair are really nothing… Bizarre ain't it? **

**Anyway, I will see you in the next chapter**

**Saoirse**


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